Sony
Pictures,
which
was
the
subject
of
a
massive
cyber
attack
over
'The
Interview',
has
cancelled
the
planned
US
release
of
the
film
on
December
25,
after
major
cinema
chains
decided
not
to
screen
it
following
threats
of
violence
by
the
hackers.
The
comedy,
starring
Seth
Rogen
and
James
Franco,
is
about
a
fictional
plot
to
kill
North
Korean
leader
Kim
Jong-un.
Hackers,
identifying
themselves
as
Guardians
of
Peace,
have
warned
the
public
to
stay
away
from
cinemas
screening
the
film,
reported
Deadline.
"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.
We
respect
and
understand
our
partners'
decision
and,
of
course,
completely
share
their
paramount
interest
in
the
safety
of
employees
and
theatre-goers," Sony
said
in
a
statement.
"Sony
Pictures
has
been
the
victim
of
an
unprecedented
criminal
assault
against
our
employees,
our
customers,
and
our
business.
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.
"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.
We
stand
by
our
filmmakers
and
their
right
to
free
expression
and
are
extremely
disappointed
by
this
outcome."
However,
many
in
Hollywood
were
quick
to
criticise
the
decision,
calling
it
a
compromise
of
the
media's
freedom
of
expression
and
warned
it
could
set
a
dangerous
precedent
of
censorship.
Actor
Steve
Carell
took
to
Twitter
to
express
his
distress
over
the
situation,
and
wrote,
"Sad
day
for
creative
expression.
#feareatsthesoul".
Studio
bosses
at
New
Regency
have
apparently
pulled
the
plug
on
Carell's
'Pyongyang'
for
its
reported
North
Korea
angle.
"Hollywood
has
done
Neville
Chamberlain
proud
today.
Wow.
It
wasn't
the
hackers
who
won,
it
was
the
terrorists
and
almost
certainly
the
North
Korean
dictatorship,
this
was
an
act
of
war," Rob
Lowe
said.
Mia
Farrow
tweeted:
"Damn.
Bad
guys
won." High-profile
producer
Judd
Apatow,
a
friend
and
collaborator
of
Rogen,
who
starred
in
the
film
alongside
Franco,
said,
"I
think
it
is
disgraceful
that
these
theatres
are
not
showing
'The
Interview'.
Will
they
pull
any
movie
that
gets
an
anonymous
threat
now?"
Zach
Braff
said,
"Cancelling
'The
Interview'
seems
like
a
pretty
horrible
precedent
to
set."
Screenwriter
Aaron
Sorkin,
whose
own
emails
were
released
in
the
hack,
also
spoke
about
Sony's
decision.
"Today
the
US
succumbed
to
an
unprecedented
attack
on
our
most
cherished,
bedrock
principle
of
free
speech
by
a
group
of
North
Korean
terrorists
who
threatened
to
kill
moviegoers
in
order
to
stop
the
release
of
a
movie,"
he
said
in
a
statement.