If you were hoping to spend your Christmas morning opening loads of presents left by Santa, eating cookies, and then heading to the multiplex to see the James Franco and Seth Rogen comedy The Interview, well, you’ll need rethink those plans.
Sony, the studio that produced the film, has canceled the December 25 release date and is shelving the movie for now in light of the hack attack.
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Since last month, Sony has been barraged by hackers that have leaked sensitive company emails from the highest level executives. The hack was no simple, well, hack job nor was it a joke, as private emails filled with questionable statements about stars like Angelina Jolie and Kevin Hart were made public.
Even worse, the hackers also threatened to attack theaters that were showing the comedy, which depicts Franco and Rogen as interviewers who score the ungettable — an interview with North Korea’s Kim Jong-un. The pair is then recruited by the CIA to assassinate the dictator. Major movie chains like AMC and Regal said they would not show the feature and Sony’s response was to pull the film indefinitely.
“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,” Sony said in a statement. “We respect and understand our partners’ decision and, of course, completely share their paramount interest in the safety of employees and theater-goers.”
Franco and Rogen also canceled their press and promo schedule due to the threats.
As of right now, the future plans for the film, be it a theatrical release or an online distribution platform, are undetermined. It is certainly a blow for free speech and for freedom of expression, but safety is the utmost priority.
The Department of Homeland Security noted that the threats are not accompanied by credible intelligence, while another insider told ABC News that the hack is being investigated as both a cyber crime and national security threat.
New sources suggest that the Feds have determined that the North Korean regime is indeed the source of the hack.
While I am all for freedom of expression, do you think it is best the film sits for now, my lovelies?
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