Moviegoers are expressing outrage after the acclaimed horror film Together was edited with artificial intelligence to alter a same-sex wedding scene for Chinese audiences. The film, starring real-life couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie, tells the story of a pair who begin to physically merge after moving to the countryside to repair their relationship.
Following a successful run in the United States, Together received a limited theatrical release in China on September 12. Soon after, viewers noticed a key change: a wedding scene that originally featured a gay couple appeared digitally altered to depict a heterosexual pairing.
Social Media Outcry Against Together Makers
Taiwanese commentator Angelica Oung highlighted the edit on social media, posting a screenshot of the altered scene.
“Here’s a use of AI I bet you never thought of!” Oung wrote. “The horror film Together featured a gay couple in a peripheral role that got magicked into a straight couple in the Chinese edition.”
She added, “No spoilers, but this definitely makes the film make less sense. One nuance is Chinese movies are not rated for age. Maybe if it were, the same-sex pairing would have survived. But in any case, why not just ban the movie rather than showing it in a compromised state?”
Together Distributor Condemns Unauthorized Edit
The film’s global distributor, Neon, condemned the unauthorized edit and criticized the Chinese distributor, Hishow.
“NEON does not approve of Hishow’s unauthorized edit of the film and have demanded they cease distributing this altered version,” the company said in a statement to Deadline.
Also Read: Rihanna’s Baby Girl Name Is Out, And It’s Not What You’d Expect
Following backlash from LGBTQ advocates, plans for a wider release of Together in China were halted, according to The Guardian.
Chinese Censorship of LGBTQ Rights
Although homosexuality was decriminalized in China in 1997, same-sex relationships remain stigmatized, and depictions of LGBTQ themes are frequently censored. In 2016, Chinese authorities issued an eight-page guideline for television programs discouraging “vulgar, immoral and unhealthy content,” explicitly listing homosexuality, underage love, extramarital affairs, and one-night stands as off-limits.
This is not the first time Hollywood films have faced such restrictions. The Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody was released in China only after all references to Freddie Mercury’s sexuality were removed. Men in Black 3 altered a scene showing aliens disguised as Chinese workers being attacked, while Mission: Impossible III cut moments that officials believed portrayed Chinese citizens as “insensitive.”
Also Read: Cardi B’s $13K Diamond Butt Piercing Went Down the Toilet, Here’s Why She Didn’t Even Feel It
Zubair Amin is a Senior Journalist at NewsX with over seven years of experience in reporting and editorial work. He has written for leading national and international publications, including Foreign Policy Magazine, Al Jazeera, The Economic Times, The Indian Express, The Wire, Article 14, Mongabay, News9, among others. His primary focus is on international affairs, with a strong interest in US politics and policy. He also writes on West Asia, Indian polity, and constitutional issues. Zubair tweets at zubaiyr.amin
