Explosive ‘Fight Club’ Ending Restored in China After Public Ire
- Censored version riled up outrage and mockery on social media
- Tencent users can now stream the full David Fincher film
Tencent Video subscribers in China can now watch the unabridged version of 1999’s “Fight Club,” after a social media furor erupted over a censored version that replaced its original ending with a line of on-screen text declaring all criminals were brought to justice.
The movie’s original denouement is marked by a series of explosions intended to destroy all bank and credit records, resetting the economy and liberating people from their consumption-heavy lifestyles. That iconic scene was radically altered when the film first became available on Chinese streaming sites last month, replaced by a silent line of text saying the protagonist Tyler Durden had helped police thwart the plot. The stark reconfiguration drew the ire of film fans online and followed similar edits to other U.S. films, such as “Lord of War.” The South China Morning Post reported the restoration of the “Fight Club” ending on Sunday.