DEEP DIVE: Aussie filmmaker pulls release of Dave Franco film from China over censorship

from Hack · host Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Movie censorship isn't new.But this week an Aussie filmmaker, Michael Shanks, revealed he is pulling his film, Together, which stars Dave Franco and Alison Brie, from China because of the use of AI to censor a queer marriage scene.Shanks says he received photos from an advanced screening of the film which shows a scene being altered, through the use of AI, to make a male character appear female.So what will this new use of AI mean for the future of films and queer representation?On today's deep dive, Michael Shanks tells Dave what it was like when he found out his movie had been changed without his consent.He shares his concerns about the use of AI and the problem with censorship.Guests:Michael Shanks, filmmaker and directorGet the whole story from Hack:Follow us on InstagramSubscribe to the hack podcastListen on the triple j app or on your radio live every weeknight at 5:30pm

What this episode covers

Movie censorship isn't new. But this week an Aussie filmmaker, Michael Shanks, revealed he is pulling his film, Together, which stars Dave Franco and Alison Brie, from China because of the use of AI to censor a queer marriage scene. Shanks says he received photos from an advanced screening of the film which shows a scene being altered, through the use of AI, to make a male character appear female. So what will this new use of AI mean for the future of films and queer representation? On today's deep dive, Michael Shanks tells Dave what it was like when he found out his movie had been changed without his consent. He shares his concerns about the use of AI and the problem with censorship. Guests: Michael Shanks, filmmaker and director Get the whole story from Hack: Follow us on Instagram Subscribe to the hack podcast Listen on the triple j app or on your radio live every weeknight at 5:30pm

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DEEP DIVE: Aussie filmmaker pulls release of Dave Franco film from China over censorship

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This episode was published on October 3, 2025.

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