In January 2025, Paramount Pictures authorized a substantially revised version of Crocodile Dundee, titled The Encore Cut, which premiered in Sydney before a wider theatrical release planned for May. The new version included a 4K restoration, a text-based Indigenous land acknowledgement at the beginning, and extended material set in Kakadu. It also removed scenes judged capable of being read as transphobic or homophobic. The changes transformed what had previously been treated as a fixed 1980s cultural artifact into an updated version intended to reflect contemporary standards, and the production company Rimfire Films said the alterations were made at Paramount's request. Paul Hogan defended the decision, insisting that it was not simply an attempt to appear 'woke' and arguing that the film was better without the disputed material. Director Peter Faiman, however, expressed reservations: while acknowledging that films have historically been re-edited, he warned that 'screwing around with history' in the arts could be dangerous. The revision provoked criticism from fans and Australian media outlets including The Sydney Morning Herald and Seven News, turning a beloved national hit into a fresh argument over censorship, historical context, and whether older films should be altered or presented with warnings and commentary instead. Paramount stated that The Encore Cut would become the standard version for future releases.
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AI concept artworkArchive Record · 2020s
The 2025 Encore Cut Debate: When Crocodile Dundee Was Re-edited for a New Generation
Crocodile Dundee / 2020s
In January 2025, Paramount Pictures authorized a substantially revised version of Crocodile Dundee, titled The Encore Cut, which premiered in Sydney before a wider theatrical release planned for May. The new version included a 4K restoration, a text-based Indigenous land acknowledgement at the beginning, and extended material set in Kakadu. It also removed scenes judged capable of being read as transphobic or homophobic. The changes transformed what had previously been treated as a fixed 1980s cultural artifact into an updated version intended to reflect contemporary standards, and the production company Rimfire Films said the alterations were made at Paramount's request. Paul Hogan defended the decision, insisting that it was not simply an attempt to appear 'woke' and arguing that the film was better without the disputed material. Director Peter Faiman, however, expressed reservations: while acknowledging that films have historically been re-edited, he warned that 'screwing around with history' in the arts could be dangerous. The revision provoked criticism from fans and Australian media outlets including The Sydney Morning Herald and Seven News, turning a beloved national hit into a fresh argument over censorship, historical context, and whether older films should be altered or presented with warnings and commentary instead. Paramount stated that The Encore Cut would become the standard version for future releases.
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