China uses AI to make gay couple straight in Dave Franco film

The Australian film was altered to show a heterosexual couple instead of a same-sex one.

The Australian horror film, Together, was altered to show a heterosexual couple instead of a same-sex one.

The film, starring Dave Franco and Alison Brie, was being shown in selected Chinese cinemas, with viewers realising some scenes had been modified after images of the original scenes went viral online.

The film was due to be released last week but has not been shown in cinemas as of yet.

It has been reported that the global distributor of the film, Neon, condemned the edit and confirmed that they did not 'approve of [this] unauthorised edit… and demand they ceased distribution'.

The supernatural horror written and directed by Australian Michael Shanks follows a couple who, after a move to the countryside, find themselves encountering a mysterious force that impacts their bodies, lives and relationship.

Premiering in January at the Sundance Film Festival, the film was released in the US and Australia in July, receiving largely positive reviews from critics and earning a 90% freshness on Rotten Tomatoes.

When being shown in China, many viewers complained about an image of a gay couple that had been digitally altered.

The man's face was replaced with a woman's, and several references to the same-sex relationship in the film were also removed.

While it's not uncommon for the country to censor LGBT content, the use of AI in this scenario seems to have struck a nerve.

Popular Chinese film critic platform Douban wrote: "This is no longer just a matter of cuts — it's a matter of distortion and misrepresentation."

"Not only did they alter the plot, but they also disrespected the actor's sexual orientation. It's disgusting," reads another review.

Just yesterday, Neon spoke criticising the film's Chinese distributor, Hishow, and spoke out against the edits.

In a statement shared with Deadline and TheWrap, Neon said: "Neon does not approve of Hishow's unauthorised edit of the film and has demanded they cease distributing this altered version."

The country seems to be cracking down on same-sex content, with at least 30 writers of gay erotic fiction, nearly all women in their 20s, having been arrested across the country.