Hollywood thriller Together, starring Dave Franco and Alison Brie, has become the center of controversy in China after censors reportedly used artificial intelligence (AI) to alter a same-sex relationship into a heterosexual one for its local release. The move has been widely condemned by global audiences and the LGBTQ community.
According to reports, the Chinese edit of the film digitally replaced the face of one of the male characters in a gay couple with a female face, effectively erasing the representation of a same-sex relationship. The change was discovered after viewers compared scenes from the Chinese version with the original cut on social media.
Several moviegoers who attended pre-release screenings in China on September 12 revealed that they initially did not notice the edits, but later learned about them through online discussions. The altered version shows a heterosexual couple during a minute-long scene, sparking criticism for disrespecting the film’s creative intent.
Chinese audiences on platforms like Douban expressed frustration, calling the censorship “disrespectful to the original work” and “an insult to the LGBTQ community.” Many argued that local distributors wanted box office revenue without showing the full artistic vision.
The film’s Chinese distributor, China Film Digital Movie Development (Beijing) Co., later pulled its scheduled wide release, citing “changes in the film’s distribution plan,” without giving a new release date. Meanwhile, Together continues to hold a strong 90% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes, drawing attention to how censorship impacts global film experiences.
This is not the first time Hollywood films have faced censorship in China. Past examples include the removal of Freddie Mercury’s sexuality references in Bohemian Rhapsody (2019) and altered dialogue in Harry Potter (2022). Popular TV shows like Friends have also been edited to erase LGBTQ storylines.
Although homosexuality was decriminalized in China nearly 30 years ago, government restrictions on LGBTQ representation have intensified in recent years, leading to the closure of advocacy groups such as the Beijing LGBT Centre. The controversy around Together highlights how AI-driven censorship is reshaping media consumption and raising concerns about artistic freedom.
