A new version of Fight Club is airing in China where the iconic ending has been completely changed.
The 1999 film from director David Fincher remains a cult classic, boasting a stellar cast, incredible acting, and one of the most shocking twist endings of all time.
However, a version of the film currently airing on Chinese streaming site Tencent Video now has an alternative ending, making it a completely different film to the one that has been a favourite among fans for over 20 years.
In the original film, the film ends with Tyler Durden, played by Brad Pitt, revealed to be a figment of The Narrator’s imagination; The Narrator kills Tyler but fails to stop the multiple bombs which have been rigged to buildings across the city.
The final scene shows The Narrator, played by Ed Norton, watch as the buildings explode and collapse, implying his alter-ego’s plan to bring down modern civilisation is well underway.
But in the new version airing in China, the scene instead fades to black before the buildings explode, and a message reads: ‘The police rapidly figured out the whole plan and arrested all criminals, successfully preventing the bomb from exploding.’
According to The Guardian, the message goes on to say that The Narrator was sent to a ‘lunatic asylum’ but was eventually discharged.
It is unclear whether Chinese authorities ordered the ending to be changed before airing on Tencent, or whether the film’s original producers made the decision in order for it to be allowed to air in China.
This is far from the first time Western creations have been censored or edited before being aired in China or Chinese-controlled territories.
In Hong Kong, an episode of The Simpsons was edited to cut a reference to Tianenmen Square before it arrived on Disney Plus.
And in 2020, free speech charity PEN America accused accused China of influencing movies with plots, casting and dialogue being tailored to suit Beijing’s censorship demands.
It cites 2016 Marvel blockbuster Dr Strange, starring Benedict Cumberbatch, claiming that a Tibetan character was whitewashed so its chances of success in China weren’t jeopardised.
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