Noted distributor Neon has lambasted Chinese distributor Hishow for altering a gay character's gender using artificial intelligence in Dave Franco and Alison Brie's recent body horror Together.

The Chinese censor board had used the technology to alter the gender of a gay character where a man's face was replaced with that of a woman, making the character seem like they were in a heterosexual relationship which received severe backlash from social media users.

Audiences in China noted that they did not witness anything unusual in the alteration until they realised that the original featured a same-sex relationship through social media edits and backlash for the decision.

Neon has now hit back at the distributor saying it "does not approve of Hishow’s unauthorized edit of the film and have demanded they cease distributing this altered version."

Helmed by Michael Shanks from a screenplay he penned, Together stars real-life married actors Dave Franco and Alison Brie as a couple who move to the countryside and find themselves encountering a mysterious force that causes horrific changes in their bodies.

Damon Herriman, Mia Morrissey, Jack Kenny, Sunny S Walia, Karl Richmond, Charlie Lees, MJ Dorning, Tom Cosidine, Melanie Beddie, and Sarah Lang, among others, also feature in supporting roles in Together. The film was released on August 9 to positive reviews from audiences and critics.