Not surprisingly, Sony Pictures announced Wednesday that it was canceling the Christmas Day release of its comedy The Interview after major U.S. theater chains said they would not screen the film after threats were made against cinemas.
“Sony Pictures has been the victim of an unprecedented criminal assault against our employees, our customers, and our business,” Sony said in a statement, referring to the hack attack that exposed on the Internet sensitive company information, including full unreleased movies.
The movie studio said it was “extremely disappointed” that the cyber attack had culminated with the cancellation of the movie opening. “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,” the statement said.
The message attributed to the Sony hackers that triggered the theater pullouts included the following: “Soon all the world will see what an awful movie Sony Pictures Entertainment has made. The world will be full of fear. Remember the 11th of September 2001.We recommend you to keep yourself distant from the places at that time.”
CNN quotes U.S. investigators as confirming that North Korea ordered the hack of Sony over the release of The Interview, which stars Seth Rogen and James Franco as reporters sent to North Korea to interview the reclusive nation’s leader.
The film depicts the assassination of real-life leader Kim Jong Un, who had vigorously spoken out against the film and warned of harsh consequences if it was actually released.
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