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Warner Bros edits out same-sex romance reference in Fantastic Beasts 3 for China market
The censored dialogue was a condition of securing the film’s release in the lucrative Chinese market, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported
Warner Bros studio agreed to demands from China to censor references to same-sex romance in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, now showing in theatres on the mainland.
Six seconds of dialogue from the Chinese version of the film - in which Jude Law’s character Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindelwald, played by Mads Mikkelsen, talk about their previous romantic relationship - were removed
The two lines cut from the film include “Because I was in love with you” and “the summer Gellert and I fell in love”.
The studio, however, said “the spirit of the film remains intact”.
The censored dialogue was a condition of securing the film’s release in the lucrative Chinese market, the South China Morning Post (SCMP) reported.
“A six-second cut was requested and Warner Bros accepted those changes to comply with local requirements but the spirit of the film remains intact,” the statement to SCMP said.
“We want audiences everywhere in the world to see and enjoy this film, and it’s important to us that Chinese audiences have the opportunity to experience it as well, even with these minor edits.”
Online reaction has been critical of the decision to censor the movie.
“The movie is produced by Warner Bros. They made the choice to allow the content to be censored in order for the movie to be played in China, and profit from that distribution deal. They could have chosen not to. They decided that it’s worth it to censor gay people. Consider that,” wrote Twitter user Daniel Camilo.
Homosexuality is legal in China but often the government’s response to it is complicated.
Homosexuality was a criminal offence till 1997 but considered a mental illness till 2001. Though the society is gradually opening up to homosexuality, prejudices still exist.
In March, 2016, for example, government banned depictions of homosexuality on television, as part of a “vulgar, immoral and unhealthy content” crackdown.
The same year, Chinese censors also released new regulations for content that “exaggerates the dark side of society”, deeming homosexuality, extramarital affairs, one-night stands and underage relationships as illegal on screen.
Fantastic Beasts is dominating box office in China since its release, according to Variety.com
It quoted data from consultancy Artisan Gateway saying The Secrets of Dumbledore earned RMB62.2 million ($9.7 million at current exchange rates) between Friday and Sunday.
That gave it a huge 63% market share on a weekend worth just $15.5 million, the Variety report said.
