Sony Cancels Theatrical Release for ‘The Interview’

[eznutz]

With theater chains defecting en masse, Sony Pictures Entertainment has pulled the planned Christmas release of “The Interview.”

In announcing the decision to cancel the holiday debut, Sony hit back at the hackers who threatened movie theaters and moviegoers and who have terrorized the studio and its employees for weeks.

“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,” the statement reads.

“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,” it continues. “We stand by our filmmakers and their right to free expression and are extremely disappointed by this outcome.”

http://variety.com/2014/film/news/s...rview-on-christmas-1201382032/comment-page-2/

 

[MattRoxx]

SONY should make the movie available for free download LOL.

 

[LickRus]

The terrorists won...

 

[Aardvark154]

The terrorists won...

Yup!

I find it hard to believe that major U.S. Movie House chains seemingly believe that there are hordes of North Korean commando sleeper agents in the U.S. and Canada!

 

[shack]

The terrorists won...

Beat me to it.

The thing is that they won a long time ago. The way our society functions changed after the terrorism of 9/11.

 

[DukeSSk]

Remarkable how this debacle has brought a well-known multinational conglomerate to its knees.

If there's anyone looking for a career change...cyber security looks fairly relevant these days...

 

[Insidious Von]

Sad isn't it.

Censorship by intimidation, the insurance companies put the hammer down. Expect North Korea to make a film with President Obama as the Kim's personal piss boy.

 

[rhuarc29]

Sad isn't it.

Censorship by intimidation, the insurance companies put the hammer down. Expect North Korea to make a film with President Obama as the Kim's personal piss boy.

North Korea already released a video showing a missile attack on the United States. How they can view this movie as an attack on their nation, and not their own propaganda video, is beyond me.

I think Sony made a mistake for three reasons: (1) they have the whole civilized world on their side should they stand up to terrorism and release it, (2) not releasing it shows they're willing to give in to intimidation, and (3) they had a crap load of publicity from this thing!

 

[Scarey]

The silence from the other studios has been deafening.Not one has stepped forward to support Sony, and at very least condemn the acts.Imagine a world where other countries just sat quietly after a country had a terrorist attack fall upon them..and now."I'm so Ronery"

 

[fuji]

Anyone who believes in democracy should be first in line to see this movie when it comes out.

 

[MattRoxx]

Globat-TV ran an ad for the movie tonight.

 

[nobody123]

Just heard a news snippet on the radio:

North Korea denies being behind the attack, and suggests that it may have been done by someone sympathetic to the country.

Who the fuck is sympathetic to North Korea? No, seriously! Do they have any allies at all anywhere? I would think that the nuttier (ISIS, Taliban, etc) religious extremist groups aren't fans since the People's Paradise isn't Muslim. And I believe the few nominally communist countries left shun them like the freaky fucks they are. Imma curious, is there anyone that is openly supportive of North Korea other than, well, North Korea ? (Dennis Rodman doesn't count. Plus I don't think he has the hacking chops.)

 

[asuran]

Who the fuck is sympathetic to North Korea? No, seriously! Do they have any allies at all anywhere? I would think that the nuttier (ISIS, Taliban, etc) religious extremist groups aren't fans since the People's Paradise isn't Muslim. And I believe the few nominally communist countries left shun them like the freaky fucks they are. Imma curious, is there anyone that is openly supportive of North Korea other than, well, North Korea ? (Dennis Rodman doesn't count. Plus I don't think he has the hacking chops.)

LOL, you are giving North Korea too much credit on their abilities.

 

[nobody123]

LOL, you are giving North Korea too much credit on their abilities.

Funny you should mention that. After my post, I thought about the possibility that maybe it's just some jaded shitheads like those that perpetrate other celebrity hacks and they are making the North Korea-type threats for shits and giggles. Either that or North Korea outsourced and paid some serious talent to do it. Cause yeah... hacking on a Vic 20 that gets electricity two hours a week ain't quite gonna, errr, hack it.

 

[bemeup]

Why are they still running ads for it (every commercial break on tonight's Jon Stewart and Jimmy Kimmel)?

 

[Barca]

Pretty cowardly if you ask me. America. "We'll bomb you from a distance but cower if you threaten us."

 

[explorerzip]

North Korea already released a video showing a missile attack on the United States. How they can view this movie as an attack on their nation, and not their own propaganda video, is beyond me.

I think Sony made a mistake for three reasons: (1) they have the whole civilized world on their side should they stand up to terrorism and release it, (2) not releasing it shows they're willing to give in to intimidation, and (3) they had a crap load of publicity from this thing!

I think the only mistake Sony made was green-lighting the project in the first place. How is a movie about assassinating an actual living person considered entertainment? I know it's supposed to be a comedy, but it's a pretty marginal one at that.

 

[SkyRider]

How is a movie about assassinating an actual living person considered entertainment?

Originally it was supposed to be a fictional character with a different name.

 

[one.of.a.kind]

I think the only mistake Sony made was green-lighting the project in the first place. How is a movie about assassinating an actual living person considered entertainment? I know it's supposed to be a comedy, but it's a pretty marginal one at that.

Agree. How about a movie to assassinate Obama? Right. Stupid call on Sonys part. They got what they deserved.

 

[nobody123]

Seems the American gubblement is convinced that North Korea was definitely part of this hack..

WASHINGTON — American officials have concluded that North Korea was “centrally involved” in the hacking of Sony Pictures computers, even as the studio canceled the release of a far-fetched comedy about the assassination of the North’s leader that is believed to have led to the cyberattack.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/18/world/asia/us-links-north-korea-to-sony-hacking.html?smid=tw-bna

And on a related note, how stupid the response is in a nutshell....

Someone killed 12 people and shot another 70 people at the opening night of Batman: The Dark Knight. They kept that movie in the theaters. You issue an anonymous cyber threat that you did not have the capability to carry out? We pulled a movie from 18,000 theaters,

- Peter W. Singer