RIP "The Interview" - pulled from theaters due to hacking and controversy

[Tavrobel]

Is there a reason we're bending so easily to a bunch of people who probably wouldn't bomb us anyway?

We don't negotiate with terrorists.
We just do whatever they tell us to.

PR stunt. Not the hackers, the cancelling. More people will now watch this movie when it is released than before.

The local theaters are cancelling the showings. Even if this is a PR stunt, Sony stands to lose a ton of money on this, simply because my "local Blockbusters" don't give them any revenue. Law enforcement has pointed out that none of the physical threats are credible, but cancellations continue, even in Canada.

Before anyone asks, Sony is a Japanese company. Sony Pictures Entertainment is an American subsidiary. It's SPE's decision to put it on any streaming services in lieu of theater showings in the US if they so choose.

People are quick to assume that North Korean nationalists are responsible. If anything, the perpetrators have hidden behind the accusation. This is a convenient excuse (it's all damage control). Sony is not known for being standard-setters in the field of cryptography. The PSN has been broken into on several instances before, 2011 the most publicized case. They stand to lose a lot (like entire scripts of future movies) but it's probably not going to be from the same hacking group; it'll be from imitators who can just post whatever they want to get the fingers pointed elsewhere.

Curiously, no one gave Team America any trout.

[Pant Leg Eater from the Bad World]

$44 million isn't really all that much money in the movie making business.

[Pike]

$44 million isn't really all that much money in the movie making business.

No, but throw in all the tens of millions in marketing costs and stuff and it definitely starts to add up.

[Madame Adequate]

It's not something anyone wants to piss away on a movie that's not going to see release, either.

[Freya]

GRRM doesn't crush hopes and dreams and instead makes them?

One his LiveJournal blog, George R.R. Martin has expressed his disapproval over what he refers to as “corporate cowardice” in Sony’s decision not to release The Interview in theaters.

Martin makes clear that he hasn’t seen the The Interview, and has no idea whether it is hilarious or terrible. He does find it ridiculous that corporations as large as Sony and the major American theater chains would be so intimidated by North Korea.

The level of corporate cowardice here astonishes me. It's a good thing these guys weren't around when Charlie Chaplin made THE GREAT DICTATOR. If Kim Jong-Un scares them, Adolf Hitler would have had them s**tting in their smallclothes.

Martin goes a step further, suggesting that small, independent theaters are more than happy to show The Interview. In fact, he invites Seth Rogan to come down to the James Cocteau Cinema in Sante Fe, which Martin owns, so that Martin can show the the film on one of his screens.

For what it's worth, the Jean Cocteau Cinema will be glad to screen THE INTERVIEW (assuming that Sony does eventually release the film for theatrical exhibition, rather than streaming it or dumping it as a direct-to-DVD release), should it be made available to us. Come to Santa Fe, Seth, we'll show your film for you.

We’ll have to wait and see if Rogan takes him up on the offer.

[Shiny]

This is either a really good marketing ploy (more likely) or Hollywood is really that retarded where they not only limit self-expression, but also thought it would be a good idea to make this film for $42 million dollars and then not have it screen worldwide in theaters. VOD has it's limits as not everyone has services like Comcast or Verizon Fios, so you're severely limiting a large audience.

Terrorist actions have been taken against film and television representation before. I remember when South Park had a Taliban episode mocking them. Shortly after a terrorist tried to bomb Viacom, only they're retarded and went for the wrong building. Comedy Central isn't at the main Viacom building, noobs.

I for one, was never going to see this movie (legally). I will not support Seth Rogen and James Franco and they're continued antics at being douchebags. That, and I really hate Scott Rudin. He's legit a terrible person and this has been known for eons. Check it: http://www.tempdiaries.com/p/brown-list.html

[Del Murder]

I can't see how this would be a marketing ploy, but if they turn around and release the thing next week then I guess that was the case.

[Pike]

If this does turn out to be a marketing ploy then damn, they are going to make bank.

[Pant Leg Eater from the Bad World]

Please, please let this happen.

http://uproxx.com/movies/2014/12/ano...the-interview/

[Jessweeee♪]

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/...ry?id=27689728

[Ayen]

I can't say this ever happened before, but considering it's only been two years since a madman shot up a bunch of people at a theater I can't blame the theaters for not showing the movie in fear that something even worse would happen if they do. Sony didn't have a lot of options when the major theaters started pulling the plug. If something did happen said theater would be held reliable.

[Pant Leg Eater from the Bad World]

I just want to say that I'm not mad at Sony or the theaters. Not at all.

But smurf.

[Shiny]

hurr you go:



Yeah, I can see why they'd be pretty mad about this movie.

[Old Manus]

And there I was thinking that silencing those who's opinions offend you was a valiant and commendable act

[Mirage]

I think this whole situation is hilarious and I can't wait to see the movie now.

I wonder if the extra publicity by North Korea will make up for the losses they suffered from not releasing it in theatres.