Sony Pictures has canceled the Christmas Day release of The Interview, the comedy that centers on a plot to assassinate North Korea’s leader. The move came after the largest U.S. movie theater chains said they won’t screen the film in the wake of threats against them by a group that also allegedly hacked Sony’s internal documents.
“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,” Sony said in a statement. “We stand by our filmmakers and their right to free expression and are extremely disappointed by this outcome.”
Update at 8:09 p.m. ET: U.S. Believes North Korea Was Behind Hack
Agreeing with speculation that has built since Sony Pictures was hacked, U.S. intelligence officials say they believe North Korea played a key role in the computer breach.
Our original post continues:
Multiple news sources, including The Hollywood Reporter, say Regal Entertainment, AMC Entertainment, Cinemark, Carmike Cinemas and Cineplex Entertainment will not screen the film starring Seth Rogen and James Franco.
Together, the chains control about half of North America’s movie screens.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the theaters “won’t play the film until the conclusion of federal authorities’ investigation into the three-week-old cyberattack on Sony Pictures and subsequent terrorist threats.”
NPR has not independently confirmed those reports.
Their decisions deal a blow to the studio, which reportedly spent $44 million to make the film.
The National Association of Theatre Owners said in a statement today “individual cinema operators may decide to delay exhibition of the movie so that our guests may enjoy a safe holiday movie season experiencing the many other exciting films we have to offer.”
A hackers group called Guardians of Peace, in a statement on Tuesday, warned theaters against screening the film.
“The world will be full of fear,” the group said. “Remember the 11th of September 2001.”
The Department of Homeland Security, however, has said that it does not perceive a credible threat.
Sony’s cyber troubles began late last month when the group hacked the studio’s computer system and released some of its internal documents. This included personal details of its employees, email correspondence of top studio executives, films and scripts. Tuesday’s statement from the group was accompanied by more emails from the studio.
The theater that was to host the movie’s New York premiere canceled the screening late Tuesday. Sony had earlier given theaters permission to not show the film. The studio also withdrew Rogen and Franco from promotional appearances for the movie.
The recent attack on Sony Pictures’ computer network that resulted in a flood of embarrassing emails and pirated movies has its origins in North Korea, according to U.S. intelligence officials.
More details about the U.S. investigation into the hacking attack could emerge as early as Wednesday night.
Within days of the hacking attack, many began to speculate that it might have been the work of North Korea, sparked by anger over the Sony film The Interview, a spoof comedy in which James Franco and Seth Rogen attempt to assassinate Kim Jong Un.
Update at 9:25 p.m. ET: U.S. Is ‘Weighing A Potential Response’
Responding to numerous requests for comment, National Security Council Spokesperson Bernadette Meehan released a statement that did not directly address the topic of North Korea’s role. It reads, in part:
“The United States is investigating attribution and will provide an update at the appropriate time. The U.S. government is working tirelessly to bring the perpetrators of this attack to justice, and we are considering a range of options in weighing a potential response.”
Meehan also noted that the FBI is leading the investigation.
Our original post continues:
The news comes hours after Sony said it will cancel the Christmas Day release of The Interview, citing threats made by a group that has claimed responsibility for the hack. Those threats had already led to reports that five large U.S. film distributors would not show the film in their theaters.
As NPR’s Krishnadev Calamur reported earlier for the Two-Way:
“A hackers group called Guardians of Peace, in a statement on Tuesday, warned theaters against screening the film.
” ‘The world will be full of fear,’ the group said. ‘Remember the 11th of September 2001.’
“The Department of Homeland Security, however, has said that it does not perceive a credible threat.”
In the weeks since the computer breach, the hackers have released scripts of future Sony movies as well as copies of several full-length films that have already been made but not released in theaters. They also released personal information about Sony employees.
Responding to reports that several theater chains wouldn’t screen The Interview, director Judd Apatow called the decision “disgraceful.” Earlier, he had tweeted, “I am not going to let a terrorist threat shut down freedom of speech. I am going to The Interview.”
Apatow tells The Los Angeles Times:
“There may be credible evidence of imminent violence that I don’t know about. But if they don’t really have that information, how many movies are they willing not to release? Our community is based on freedom of expression. Are we going to suppress ourselves every time someone posts something online? It’s a dark future.”
The Interview Final Trailer – Meet Kim Jong-Un
by Sony Pictures Entertainment
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpyVENBPj5c
**
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uyQix3rfx7c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uWxJ97INbsc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGEpp_nF1ws
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgmB5NeenqI
**
Sony Cancels Christmas Day Release Of ‘The Interview’ Amid Threats
NPR
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/12/17/371477960/major-theater-chains-wont-screen-the-interview-amid-threats
Sony Pictures has canceled the Christmas Day release of The Interview, the comedy that centers on a plot to assassinate North Korea’s leader. The move came after the largest U.S. movie theater chains said they won’t screen the film in the wake of threats against them by a group that also allegedly hacked Sony’s internal documents.
“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,” Sony said in a statement. “We stand by our filmmakers and their right to free expression and are extremely disappointed by this outcome.”
Update at 8:09 p.m. ET: U.S. Believes North Korea Was Behind Hack
Agreeing with speculation that has built since Sony Pictures was hacked, U.S. intelligence officials say they believe North Korea played a key role in the computer breach.
Our original post continues:
Multiple news sources, including The Hollywood Reporter, say Regal Entertainment, AMC Entertainment, Cinemark, Carmike Cinemas and Cineplex Entertainment will not screen the film starring Seth Rogen and James Franco.
Together, the chains control about half of North America’s movie screens.
The Wall Street Journal reported that the theaters “won’t play the film until the conclusion of federal authorities’ investigation into the three-week-old cyberattack on Sony Pictures and subsequent terrorist threats.”
NPR has not independently confirmed those reports.
Their decisions deal a blow to the studio, which reportedly spent $44 million to make the film.
The National Association of Theatre Owners said in a statement today “individual cinema operators may decide to delay exhibition of the movie so that our guests may enjoy a safe holiday movie season experiencing the many other exciting films we have to offer.”
A hackers group called Guardians of Peace, in a statement on Tuesday, warned theaters against screening the film.
“The world will be full of fear,” the group said. “Remember the 11th of September 2001.”
The Department of Homeland Security, however, has said that it does not perceive a credible threat.
Sony’s cyber troubles began late last month when the group hacked the studio’s computer system and released some of its internal documents. This included personal details of its employees, email correspondence of top studio executives, films and scripts. Tuesday’s statement from the group was accompanied by more emails from the studio.
The theater that was to host the movie’s New York premiere canceled the screening late Tuesday. Sony had earlier given theaters permission to not show the film. The studio also withdrew Rogen and Franco from promotional appearances for the movie.
U.S. Officials Believe North Korea Was Behind Sony Hack
NPR
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2014/12/17/371521313/u-s-officials-believe-sony-was-hacked-by-north-korea
The recent attack on Sony Pictures’ computer network that resulted in a flood of embarrassing emails and pirated movies has its origins in North Korea, according to U.S. intelligence officials.
More details about the U.S. investigation into the hacking attack could emerge as early as Wednesday night.
Within days of the hacking attack, many began to speculate that it might have been the work of North Korea, sparked by anger over the Sony film The Interview, a spoof comedy in which James Franco and Seth Rogen attempt to assassinate Kim Jong Un.
Update at 9:25 p.m. ET: U.S. Is ‘Weighing A Potential Response’
Responding to numerous requests for comment, National Security Council Spokesperson Bernadette Meehan released a statement that did not directly address the topic of North Korea’s role. It reads, in part:
“The United States is investigating attribution and will provide an update at the appropriate time. The U.S. government is working tirelessly to bring the perpetrators of this attack to justice, and we are considering a range of options in weighing a potential response.”
Meehan also noted that the FBI is leading the investigation.
Our original post continues:
The news comes hours after Sony said it will cancel the Christmas Day release of The Interview, citing threats made by a group that has claimed responsibility for the hack. Those threats had already led to reports that five large U.S. film distributors would not show the film in their theaters.
As NPR’s Krishnadev Calamur reported earlier for the Two-Way:
“A hackers group called Guardians of Peace, in a statement on Tuesday, warned theaters against screening the film.
” ‘The world will be full of fear,’ the group said. ‘Remember the 11th of September 2001.’
“The Department of Homeland Security, however, has said that it does not perceive a credible threat.”
In the weeks since the computer breach, the hackers have released scripts of future Sony movies as well as copies of several full-length films that have already been made but not released in theaters. They also released personal information about Sony employees.
Responding to reports that several theater chains wouldn’t screen The Interview, director Judd Apatow called the decision “disgraceful.” Earlier, he had tweeted, “I am not going to let a terrorist threat shut down freedom of speech. I am going to The Interview.”
Apatow tells The Los Angeles Times:
“There may be credible evidence of imminent violence that I don’t know about. But if they don’t really have that information, how many movies are they willing not to release? Our community is based on freedom of expression. Are we going to suppress ourselves every time someone posts something online? It’s a dark future.”