The trade group that represents Hollywood film studios has sanctioned the makers of Captivity, after controversial ads for the upcoming horror film were displayed around Los Angeles and New York.

The Motion Picture Association of America said Thursday it will delay its rating process for the gruesome movie for 30 days.

The group has also required the film's producer, After Dark Films, and its distributors to clear all its promotional materials with the MPAA, as well as where the advertising will appear. According to a statement issued Thursday, this is the first time the group has imposed such a sanction.

"The sanctions in this case are severe because this was an unacceptable and flagrant violation of MPAA rules and procedures," said Marilyn Gordon, the group's senior vice-president of advertising.

Earlier this month, After Dark removed the offending ads from approximately 30 billboards in Los Angeles and from the tops of more than 1,000 taxis in New York amid public outrage over the images.

The ads, which are divided into four panels, depict the film's star — Canadian actress Elisha Cuthbert — apparently being abducted, confined, tortured and killed.

After Dark CEO Courtney Solomon said at the time that the wrong images had been sent to the company printing the ads and denied that the release of the offending images had been a deliberate marketing ploy. 

However, in the MPAA statement, Gordon said her group had previously rejected the controversial ad campaign.

"After Dark Films presented their ads for approval, as all companies are required to do if they wish to receive an MPAA rating. However, their ads were summarily rejected for their graphic depiction of a woman's torture and death. Yet After Dark proceeded to post them on billboards anyway, and these ads appeared in some of the most prominent public locations in Los Angeles and New York," Gordon said.

"It is now up to After Dark Films to restore good faith with the MPAA."

Directed by Roland Joffé, Captivity stars Cuthbert as a woman who awakens to discover she has been kidnapped and must endure horrific torture.

The film had been set to hit theatres across North America on May 18.

While the title could be released with no MPAA rating, theatre owners are usually hesitant to carry an unrated film.