China Censor alters the ending of animated film “Minions: The Rise of Gru”
China Censor has altered the ending of the animated film “Minions: The Rise of Gru” for domestic release.
In the international version, the Hollywood film ends with Gru and Wild Knuckles, the story’s two thief anti-heroes, riding off together after Wild Knuckles faked his own death to evade capture by authorities.
Minions: The Rise of Gru has grossed $835 million worldwide, making it the fourth-highest-grossing film of 2022.
However, it emerges that the film won’t have a similar ending when released in China.
In China’s version of the film, Morality Triumphs!
The edit shows Wild Knuckles ending up in a prison for 20 years after being caught by the police.
It was revealed via several posts and screenshots from the film shared on Weibo, a Chinese social media platform similar to Twitter, that the censors tacked postscript changes.
Numerous online commentators mocked the edit, saying it resembled a power-point presentation of Chinese authorities.
🇨🇳 censors have altered the ending of Minions: The Rise of Gru
— the stranger (@thestranger515) August 22, 2022
In the original ending, Gru and Wild Knuckles ride off together after Wild Knuckles faked his own death to evade capture from authorities
In the #Chinese version it’s 20 year’s in Prison
Hollywood #Kowtow’s to China pic.twitter.com/oNmNgJa9z2
https://twitter.com/Kimmy2022Jimmel/status/1561673241533394944
In China’s Version of ‘Minions’ Movie, Morality Triumphs https://t.co/NHG8LkVYbj #minions #Minions2 #China #Cinema #censorship
— Gavin in Istanbul (@HappinessPatrol) August 23, 2022
Such practice is not the first reported edit-censor case of Hollywood films in China.
Last year, Chinese viewers of Fight Club had a very different ending when it appeared on a popular local streaming platform.