Chinese censors changed the ending of 'Minions: The Rise of Gru' for its release in the region
- "Minions: The Rise of Gru's" ending was altered by Chinese film censors in the region.
- Photos of the changed ending are circulating on social media sites in China, NYT reports.
"Minions: The Rise of Gru" was released in China over the weekend, and audiences in the region saw a different ending than the rest of the world.
Chinese film censors altered the movie's epilogue, The New York Times reported, based on photos of the new ending that have been circulating on Chinese social media.
(Spoilers ahead.)
The new ending shows villain Wild Knuckles being caught by police and imprisoned, rather than escaping like in the original, global cut. And the titular Gru becomes "one of the good guys" and a father of three daughters.
Universal, the studio behind the movie, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The edits reflect the Chinese government's push to display what it sees as moral behavior in pop culture. And, as The Times noted, Gru's transformation into a father reflects the government's move to boost birth rates in the country.
China's film administration has a history of pushing the ruling Communist Party's principles onto movies and theaters. In 2017, it ordered China's cinemas to play propaganda videos before every screening that promoted "socialist core values."
More recently, local film authorities have cracked down on Hollywood releases as the Chinese government looks to boost its own film industry. China surpassed North America as the biggest theatrical market in the world in 2020 and 2021 thanks largely to local productions, though it's expected to be dethroned this year.
A Marvel movie hasn't been released in the region since 2019, largely for online controversies and the studios' refusal to make cuts. "Thor: Love and Thunder," for instance, wasn't released in China because of LGBTQ+ themes throughout the movie. The film administration also wanted the Statue of Liberty cut from "Spider-Man: No Way Home," which would have altered the entire climax of the movie.
"The Rise of Gru" disappointed at the Chinese box office over the weekend with $11 million, trailing Chinese films "New Gods: Yang Jian" and "Moon Man" (the movie did well overall, though, with over $835 million globally).
Previous "Despicable Me" movies have seen box office success in China. The first "Minions" earned a total of $69 million there in 2015, and "Despicable Me 3" earned a whopping $158 million.