Neon Withdraws Body Horror Film from Chinese Theaters Due to Censorship

Neon has pulled its body horror film together from Chinese theaters after local distributors edited out a same-sex wedding scene. The movie stars real-life couple Dave Franco and Allison Brie and explores themes of codependency through the bizarre story of a couple that physically merges.

According to reports, the same-sex weddings in the film are pivotal to the storyline. In one significant scene, Brie’s character learns that a man she’s met has become fused with her husband. However, the version released in China altered this scene using AI technology, turning the couple into a heterosexual pair by replacing one of the men in the wedding footage.

Neon purchased the film at the Sundance Film Festival for $15 million and, as part of its international sales, sold the distribution rights to Heeshou. Under pressure from Neon, Heeshou ultimately pulled the film from screens.

In response, Neon stated that it had not authorized any alterations to the film, asserting, “Neon has not approved any fraudulent editing of Heishou’s film and is requesting that this modified version be stopped from being distributed.”

This incident is not isolated; China has a history of altering films without consent from creators. For instance, in 2022, the country modified the conclusion of the 1999 classic Fight Club to have authorities intervene and resolve the chaos depicted in the original.

In the altered ending, viewers are informed that law enforcement quickly apprehended the culprits and prevented the explosion, erasing the movie’s original commentary on financial collapse and anarchy.

The censorship raises comparisons to another film, Lord of War, which saw its ending revised for a more government-pleasing outcome. In that version, the arms dealer is convicted and sentenced to life in prison, a far cry from the original narrative.