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Sony Pictures Entirely Scraps Releasing 'The Interview' for Now
by Ethan Anderton
December 17, 2014
Source: Deadline
Yesterday, a message from the hackers responsible for releasing tons of documents, e-mails and more from Sony Pictures threatened actual violence yesterday to any theaters showing the controversial Seth Rogen and James Franco comedy The Interview when it's slated to hit the big screen on Christmas Day. In response to the threat this morning, and given the blessing by Sony themselves, most of the major theater chains across the country announced that they wouldn't be showing the film. Now Deadline reports that Sony has sent out a press release to scrap the holiday release of the film entirely for now. More below!
Here's what Sony sent out in a statement about the shitty situation:
In light of the decision by the majority of our exhibitors not to show the film The Interview, we have decided not to move forward with the planned December 25 theatrical release. We respect and understand our partners’ decision and, of course, completely share their paramount interest in the safety of employees and theater-goers.
Sony Pictures has been the victim of an unprecedented criminal assault against our employees, our customers, and our business. Those who attacked us stole our intellectual property, private emails, and sensitive and proprietary material, and sought to destroy our spirit and our morale – all apparently to thwart the release of a movie they did not like. We are deeply saddened at this brazen effort to suppress the distribution of a movie, and in the process do damage to our company, our employees, and the American public. We stand by our filmmakers and their right to free expression and are extremely disappointed by this outcome.
The fact that this is even happening is insane. First of all, these theater chains making the decision to not show the film because of an anonymous threat is cowardly and sets a poor precedent in the future for any activist groups who decided to make threats against theaters for showing a film with material they may disagree with. Second of all, the fact that we even have to bow to the demands of a tyrannical dictator because he doesn't like how he's portrayed in a comedy is unconscionable.
Some people will say this isn't about free speech, but that's absolutely what it's about. It doesn't matter if The Interview isn't an important film like Citizenfour or something like that. The fact that some anonymous hacker can threaten an entire country for having a film with controversial comedy and have our major corporations react this way is just insane. The way our country is reacting to this scenario is what will make The Interview important, because now we'll get safe, non-controversial movies from Hollywood to bow to the whimsies of some dictating asshole. New Regency is already canceling another project that had to do with North Korea because of this situation. I can't wait until these hackers are brought to justice.
26 Comments
1
Chalk one up for the terrorist groups out there...
Gohikeone on Dec 17, 2014
2
Does anyone really believe, that NK has anything to do with this? Come on. If your password is 'password' anyone can hack them. To pull the movie now is just ridiculous and gives these morans exactly what they want. And you know i feel for Sony. Yeah the head is a racist bitch so what. You cant tell me that anyone would feel comfortable getting your private emails out? I blame the media. The actual news aren't the stupid emails, its that people illegally broke into a system and stole shit. I dont care what you say, its just not ok. And pulling the movie just proves them 'right'.
Sascha Dikiciyan on Dec 17, 2014
3
And a fight was won for good movies. Another fight was lost, for freedom of expression.
Brian Sleider on Dec 17, 2014
4
SPIDERMAN to Marvel. SPIDERMAN to Marvel!!! The time is NOW!!!~
DAVIDPD on Dec 17, 2014
5
Convenient that this happens around the same time Marvel wants Spidey to appear in their MCU......Methinks Disney is up to something shady. lol
Chris Amaya on Dec 17, 2014
6
Wow i guess its official (if you believe our G) http://www.thewrap.com/cnn-u-s-government-to-announce-north-korea-as-responsible-for-sony-hack/
Sascha Dikiciyan on Dec 17, 2014
7
only sony can make a bad situation worse
thisguyhere on Dec 17, 2014
8
I agree about setting a poor precedent. Movie about a gay couple is slated to hit theaters. WBC rages, threatens, does that movie get pulled too all of sudden? It may be apples to oranges but if violent threats can take a movie off the slate, you better believe violent threats will start happening much more often for much more trivial things.
adam lamonica on Dec 17, 2014
9
Yeah this is a bad day for freedom of speech. Im trying to figure out what could go worse for the studio. I think they need to set up VOD online and everyone will watch this. Lets do it!
Derek Scontrino on Dec 17, 2014
10
I JUST WANT TO WATCH THE MOVIE! PUT IT ONLINE!
Sky on Dec 17, 2014
11
so... the terrorists won?
Carlos Ortiz on Dec 17, 2014
13
Apparently we do give in to terrorist demands. Where is Anonymous in all this?
Morvidus on Dec 17, 2014
14
I had no intention of seeing The Interview (not really a Rogan or Franco fan) but this is a dumb move. Felt this before reading Ethan's article. Sony may not have had a choice because of the theatre chains decision but just a weak move all around.
LightningB on Dec 17, 2014
15
Did anyone stop and think that Sony is doing this shit on purpose...? Creating hype over nothing? Creating a mountain out of an ant hill?
ali3000 on Dec 17, 2014
16
Yes, they created an entire hack and made a faux threat to people's lives to promote a Seth Rogen comedy. That's genius and wouldn't at all be more detrimental to the studio than what's already happening to them.
Ethan Anderton on Dec 17, 2014
17
See. This girl gets it. Props.
ali3000 on Dec 17, 2014
18
Im mostly annoyed about that fact that this seemed from the trailers (and especially from the early reviews) that this was gonna be a pretty mediocre shock comedy forgotten after a couple years, but now its inevitably going to become a cult classic with people trying to get their hands on illegal copies 30 years down the road...
jay on Dec 17, 2014
19
Well, I guess it's a precedent we can use just in case anyone wants to reboot Twilight.
Neuromancer on Dec 17, 2014
20
Either Sony does exactly what the hackers and North Korea want and it's a pity or it's just Sony's idea for promoting the movie. I don't like either so I'm not going to watch it.
Moka on Dec 18, 2014
21
So...essentially North Korea is censoring movies in the States now....
TheOct8pus on Dec 18, 2014
22
Dumb premise for a movie anyway. Someone needs to get fired for this kind of debacle
Trey on Dec 18, 2014
23
Sony is strategically making the next move to be a huge F.U into the face of North Korea and Hackers... Release the movie online for FREE - ask for donations that will go to hunger, or some cause that will help other countries or opt to buy it online and when it releases to DVD format you get a copy... something - to be a coward is worse than being nothing at all. - WAS2xl
shane willett on Dec 18, 2014
24
STAND UP TO IGNORANCE _ SONY your not looking good right now ... America needs to take a freakin example from Team America World Police... Fuck Yeah! Freedom is the only wayyy- yayyy !
shane willett on Dec 18, 2014
25
In The Line of Fire. The Day of the Jackal The Jackal White House Down Olympus has Fallen The Eagle has Landed The Manchurian Candidate Shooter. How many films have been made about the killing of Western leaders, with nary a peep from any of them, and now the movie makers have caved so as not to hurt the feelings of a mad despot! Sony. I am disgusted at you. I will never pay to watch any of your movies ever again. That's it.
MAWG on Dec 18, 2014
26
The difference is that those are all dramas, and the assassins are presented as being in the wrong. The better analogy might be movies regarding plots to assassinate Hitler, or Zero Dark Thirty, about the hunt for Bin Ladin, but in both those cases there was an active state of war. This is not about saving the feelings of 'a mad despot' so much as how quick we all are to label any given leader we disagree with 'a mad despot' and therefore somehow 'fair game' regardless of repercussions. We are in a world where assassination attempts do happen. Several US presidents have been assassinated, as have many other world leaders. Only a few weeks ago, there was an attack on the Canadian Parliament by a gunman. In what way is any of this funny?
Kim Holtby on Dec 19, 2014
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