Chinese cut of horror film ‘Together’ uses AI to erase gay wedding

The Australian horror film “Together,” starring real-life couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie, premiered in Chinese cinemas this month with significant alterations to its storyline. A same-sex wedding central to the film was digitally altered into a heterosexual marriage using artificial intelligence, with one groom’s face replaced by a woman’s. The edit quickly drew backlash from audiences and led to the suspension of the film’s wider release in China.

Pivotal scene: In the original version of “Together,” two men exchange vows in a same-sex ceremony. For the Chinese release, one of the grooms was digitally altered to appear female, creating the image of a heterosexual couple. The local version also obscured nudity in a shower sequence by adding digital steam. These changes were identified after viewers compared screenshots between the international and Chinese versions that circulated widely online.
Distributor objects to edit: The film was previewed in Chinese cinemas on Sept. 12 ahead of a planned general release on Sept. 19. Following criticism on social media, the Chinese distributor Hishow suspended its rollout without public explanation. Neon, the global distributor, issued a statement distancing itself from the changes. “Neon does not approve of Hishow’s unauthorised edit of the film and have demanded they cease distributing this altered version,” the company said.
Chinese audience reaction: Although homosexuality was decriminalized in China in 1997, LGBTQ representation in film and television remains subject to strict regulation. News of the edits to “Together” prompted strong responses from Chinese audiences. One widely shared comment on Weibo read, “What’s happening outside the film is even more terrifying than what’s shown in it.” Another user wrote, “AI face-swapping is really unacceptable, it completely changes the original creative vision.”

This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices.

Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what we’re building, consider becoming a paid member — your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community.

Subscribe here now!

Share this Article