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Tag: The Interview

  • Nicki Minaj Targeted by Human Rights Activist, Will She Cancel African Performance?

    Nicki Minaj is the target of the same human rights activist famous for “dropping copies of The Interview” all over North Korea. She is set to perform at a Christmas festival on Saturday in Luanda–the capital of Angola–and has been asked to cancel her appearance.

    Angola has been ruled for decades by President Jose Eduardo dos Santos. The nation is often accused of violating the basic rights of journalists, activists, and others who speak out against government oppression and intimidation. They violate these rights in the form of police who often use excessive force to make arbitrary arrests.

    Nicki Minaj was asked in a letter from Thor Halvorssen, head of Human Rights Foundation, to cancel her appearance. Halvorssen stated he plans to post the letter he sent her on his organization’s website.

    In the letter, Halvorssen also states that Angolan hip-hop artist Luaty Beirao was arrested back in June after he attended a meeting to discuss democracy and non-violence. He wrote that there is a trial underway against him–as well as six others who were at the meeting.

    “As a strong-willed independent artist shouldn’t you be advocating for the release of the imprisoned rapper Luaty Beirao rather than entertaining the dictator and his thieving family?” he asked Nicki Minaj.

    The letter goes on to inform Minaj about the president’s billionaire daughter, accusing her of being the main beneficiary of Angola’s blood diamond trade.

    “Ms. Minaj, you are well known for being involved with charities such as the Get Schooled Foundation, which helps motivate young people to graduate from high school and succeed in college,” Halvorssen writes. “If you move forward with this performance for the dictator and his family, you will be in league with the people stealing educational resources and opportunity from young Angolans.”

    So far Nicki Minaj hasn’t cancelled her appearance or indicated whether she will or won’t perform in Angola.

    What’s your take on this letter to Nicki Minaj? Should she cancel her appearance?

  • Here’s What’s Coming To Netflix In The Next Week

    Here’s What’s Coming To Netflix In The Next Week

    As you know, content comes and goes on Netflix. Each week, we’re bringing you a list of titles that you’ll be able to stream in the U.S. in the coming days. As always, dates are subject to change.

    Neflix made headlines this week when it announced that it would be getting The Interview on Saturday. While that’s certainly the highlight here, it’s not the only thing coming to the streaming provider. There’s a good chance your daughters will be pretty hyped up for the addition of last year’s Monster High: Freaky Fusion.

    Available on 01/24:

    The Interview (2014)

    James Franco, Lizzy Caplan, Seth Rogen, Randall Park, Timothy Simons

    When a TV host and his producer score an interview with Kim Jong-un, who’s a fan of their show, the CIA asks them to assassinate the dictator.

    Available on 1/25:

    The Hunters (2013)

    Robbie Amell, Alexa PenaVega, Victor Garber, Michelle Forbes, Keenan Tracey, Dan Payne

    What if all mythical artifacts, from Jason’s Golden Fleece to Cinderella’s glass slippers, were real — and protected by a secret society?

    Repentance (2013)

    Forest Whitaker, Anthony Mackie, Mike Epps, Sanaa Lathan, Nicole Ari Parker, Ariana Neal

    When his life coach ends their therapy sessions, an unhinged construction contractor takes his counselor captive and begins a ritual of torture.

    Available on 01/27:

    Days and Nights (2014)

    Katie Holmes, William Hurt, Jean Reno, Allison Janney, Ben Whishaw, Michael Nyqvist

    Chekhov’s classic The Seagull comes to 1980s New England in this story of an aging actress’s fateful choice to visit her son and ailing brother.

    Gloria (2012)

    Paulina García, Sergio Hernández, Diego Fontecilla, Fabiola Zamora, Luz Jiménez, Alejandro Goic

    An aging divorcée looking to fill a void in her life begins a romance with an ex-naval officer. But baggage from the past may derail the relationship.

    To Russia with Love (2014)

    This documentary follows the media frenzy leading up to the 2014 Winter Olympic Games, as LGBT athletes and activists confront Russia’s anti-gay laws.

    Money for Nothing: Inside the Federal Reserve (2013)

    Focusing on the nation’s 2008 financial meltdown, this sober documentary looks at the role the Federal Reserve played in igniting the crisis.

    Available on 01/28:

    Beauty & the Beast: Season 2

    A homicide detective and a veteran who has been turned into a beast by a military experiment gone awry become allies after they meet by chance.

    Chef (2014)

    Jon Favreau, Sofía Vergara, John Leguizamo, Scarlett Johansson, Oliver Platt, Bobby Cannavale

    When chef Carl Casper’s plans for opening a restaurant in Los Angeles fail to pan out, he returns home to Miami and debuts a food truck instead.

    The Paradise: Series 2

    A small-town girl with big ideas moves to the city and takes a job at The Paradise — the nation’s first-ever department store.

    Available on 01/30:

    Veggie Tales in the House: Season 1 (+ additional 5 new episodes) – Netflix Original

    The beloved faith-based brand hits the small screen with a fresh new look and all-new adventures. Join Bob the Tomato, Larry the Cucumber, and all their veggie friends as they explore new areas of their wondrous house while singing catchy, original songs included in each episode. Perfect for young families, this laugh-out-loud comedy seamlessly weaves good moral values into each episode in a fun, exciting way for Veggie lovers of all ages.

    Monster High: Freaky Fusion (2014)

    Cam Clarke, Audu Paden, Laura Bailey, Cindy Robinson, Erin Fitzgerald, Kate Higgins

    When Frankie Stein travels back in time, a teen scientist follows her home into the present and causes a lab accident that creates four new monsters.

    Image via Facebook

  • Netflix Is Getting ‘The Interview’ This Saturday

    Netflix Is Getting ‘The Interview’ This Saturday

    Netflix just reported its Q4 earnings with a record 13 million new members in 2014, compared to 11.1 million in 2013. The company now has a grand total of 57.4 million members. It added 4.33 million members in Q4 alone. Here’s a look at the financials:

    Perhaps more interesting is that Netflix used the opportunity to announce that it will be offering The Interview in the U.S. and Canada beginning on Saturday, January 24, just thirty days after it debuted in theaters and on VOD.

    I probably don’t have to tell you about all the controversy surrounding the film, which had a direct impact on how it was released (limited in theaters and more broadly on VOD platforms). It’s truly remarkable that Netflix is already getting the title. It will no doubt be a wildly popular one on the streaming service.

    By January 7, the film had already made $31 million online.

    Netflix also said its first original feature film, Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon II: The Green Destiny, is in post production, and will debut on August 26 in all Netflix territories. The company expects to open the film on select IMAX screens on the same day.

    You can read the company’s letter to shareholders in which it gives updates on its various projects and numbers here.

    Image via The Interview, Facebook

  • The Interview Has Made $31M Online, Still Won’t Break Even

    The Interview Has Made $31M Online, Still Won’t Break Even

    If the metric of success for Sony regarding The Interview is recouping its money (which at this point it’s probably not), then the film will likely fall short. But by any other metric, the Seth Rogen/James Franco film has been a pretty big hit.

    Sony has announced that the film, which was released online on Christmas Eve, has since raked in over $31 million in streaming revenues. It’s been rented or purchased more the 4.3 million times. That means that it’s doubled its opening weekend take – which was around $15 million.

    These numbers are even more impressive when you consider piracy, which surely cut into Sony’s earnings. In the first two days following official availability, The Interview was downloaded over 1.5 million times via torrent sites.

    With $31 million, The Interview is officially Sony’s biggest online release ever. It was the most-talked about nugget of pop culture for a couple weeks. By these metrics, it’s a success.

    Post by The Interview.

    Of course, a Christmas Day wide release (what was originally planned) would have likely been much better. To date, the movie has only grossed about $5 million in theaters – but that’s due to a severely limited release.

    At this point the Sony hack, which started the ball rolling and ultimately led to the film’s cancellation and subsequent revival, most certainly has prevented the film from breaking even. The Interview was made on a $44 million budget, and Sony is said to have spent at least $35 million on marketing efforts.

    Image via The Interview, Facebook

  • The Interview Becomes Available On Cable VOD

    Sony announced that The Interview will be available for video-on-demand rental from pay TV services from Time Warner Cable, Comcast, Bright House Networks, Cox Communications, Cablevision, Charter Communications, AT&T U-verse TV, Verizon FiOS, Direct TV, Vudu, and Walmart, starting on Wednesday.

    Things have changed drastically since the film was pulled from its potential release on Christmas Day before putting back in place in a more limited capacity. The real story was the release of such a major film on VOD platforms.

    Last week, the movie was available on YouTube, Xbox Video, Google Play, and SeetheInterview.com (a Sony site). It quickly became evident that releasing it on VOD outlets was smart move. As reported earlier this week, the movie quickly generated over $15 million in sales after being downloaded or rented over two million times in its first few days of availability.

    In that same period of time, the movie did $3 million in theaters, though it had a pretty limited release.

    The Interview has been available to buy for $15 or to rent for $6. Now, it will be able to be rented from a lot more platforms, expanding its availability greatly throughout the country.

    Image via The Interview, Facebook

  • ‘The Interview’ Nabs $15M Online in First Weekend

    ‘The Interview’ Nabs $15M Online in First Weekend

    Sony’s decision to release the now-controversial film The Interview online seems to have paid off – at least financially.

    According to the company, the film has already generated over $15 million in sales, having been downloaded or rented over two million times in the past few days. By comparison, it’s made about $3 million in theaters (though it did have a rather limited release).

    A couple of days before its scheduled-then-canceled Christmas Day release, Sony announced that it would premiere the film in a handful of theaters nationwide, saying,

    “We have never given up on releasing The Interview and we’re excited our movie will be in a number of theaters on Christmas Day. At the same time, we are continuing our efforts to secure more platforms and more theaters so that this movie reaches the largest possible audience.”

    The first wave of the theatrical release wound up hitting around 300 locations.

    But the theatrical release isn’t where Sony made its money over the weekend. On Christmas Eve, it decided to release the film online – on YouTube, Xbox Video, Google Play, and SeetheInterview.com (a Sony site).

    You can buy it for $15 or rent it for $6.

    “In addition to the strong turnout for its limited theatrical release over the holiday weekend, after only four days, The Interview already ranks as Sony Pictures #1 online film of all time,” said Sony in a release.

    The $15 million pull in its first few days of availability is pretty impressive, considering the total was likely hampered, at least in some part, by piracy. Torrent Freak reports that in just two days, The Interview was downloaded over 1.5 million times via torrent sites.

    Image via The Interview, Facebook

  • Eminem Gay? ‘The Interview’ Clip of the Rapper Coming Out Goes Viral

    Eminem gave the world a surprise when he came out as gay over the weekend. Well, sort of.

    Despite the controversy surrounding the release of the targeted film by Sony, The Interview was made available in a few select theaters on Christmas day, as well as on various online streaming services.

    Since its “release,” a clip from the film, in which Eminem comes out as gay has gone wildly viral on social media, with nearly Two million views on YouTube in just 48 hours.

    While the reviews of the film are not stellar, one of the funnier scenes is Eminem’s cameo, in which the 42-year-old rapper, who is often accused of homophobia, comes out as gay.

    Marshall Mathers, better-known as Eminem, delivers a perfectly deadpan performance in the brief cameo.

    “I’m more shocked that people haven’t figured it out yet,” Eminem tells James Franco‘s talk show host character. “I’ve been playing gay peek-a-boo for years. I’ve pretty much been leaving a gay bread crumb trail.”

    Behind the scenes of the movies talk show, Seth Rogen‘s character suggests Franco ask a question pertaining to lyrics from Medicine Ball : “I said nice rectum, I had a vasectomy, Hector / So you can’t get pregnant if I bisexually wreck ya.”

    Franco asks Eminem about that line, who confirms that “Hector’s rectum was real.”

  • Sony Says It Will Release The Interview In Theaters

    After all the chaos and controversy over the past couple weeks with regards to The Interview, Sony has now come out and announced it will indeed release the film in some theaters. It just won’t be getting the wide release it was originally expected to.

    Multiple outlets, including The Hollywood Reporter, are sharing a statement from Sony Entertainment chairman and CEO Michael Lynton:

    “We have never given up on releasing The Interview and we’re excited our movie will be in a number of theaters on Christmas Day. At the same time, we are continuing our efforts to secure more platforms and more theaters so that this movie reaches the largest possible audience.”

    “I want to thank our talent on The Interview and our employees, who have worked tirelessly through the many challenges we have all faced over the last month. While we hope this is only the first step of the film’s release, we are proud to make it available to the public and to have stood up to those who attempted to suppress free speech.”

    According to THR’s sources, Sony is planning to VOD release alongside the limited theatrical release, though the specific platforms are unclear at this point.

    This is a pretty big turn around. They’ve quickly gone from pulling the movie’s release altogether to potentially enabling people to watch it in the comfort of their own homes after the President of the United States called pulling the release a mistake.

    Meanwhile, some have taken it upon themselves to give the script a live-reading in the name of free speech.

    Image via YouTube

  • ‘The Interview’: NYC Comedians Plan a Live Read ‘in the Name of Free Speech’

    Who knows when you’ll get to see The Interview?

    Last week Sony execs decided to cave to vague, terroristic threats and postpone the release of the Seth Rogen/James Franco comedy indefinitely. According to reports, Sony was not alone in its cowardice. At this point nobody knows when the film, which was originally scheduled for a Christmas Day release, will see the light of day. Sony has no immediate plans for DVD or VOD release. The internet is calling for someone like Netflix to buy the rights, but that seems unlikely.

    It’ll probably work its way online at some point. Some recent rumors pointed to Sony releasing the film, for free, on Crackle – but those were shot down. Sony has said that it’s considering releasing the film, but there’s definitely no timeframe. Whatever happens, this is a big loss for Sony and for some, an even bigger loss for the idea that we, as a people, won’t be threatened out of our freedom of expression.

    Sure, it’s just a movie (of questionable quality at that) – but this is not a good precedent to set, right?

    What do you think about the decision to pull The Interview? Let us know in the comments.

    Sony has made its decision. Before that, a handful of major theater groups made theirs. The film is simply too toxic to distribute right now. At this point, theaters and Sony are engaging in a bit of a back-and-forth over who is truly to blame for the film’s indefinite postponement. Some lawmakers are calling for its release. The President has input his two cents. The situation’s a mess – but it’s a fluid mess. The movie could find its way to the big screen – or at least your small screen – at some point.

    But you might not get to see The Interview anytime soon. However, if you’re in New York City next weekend, you can watch the next best thing.

    No, not Team America: World Police. Everyone’s too scared to show that either. What you can watch is a group of actors, who “feel very strongly about bringing this film to you by whatever means necessary”, perform a live read-through of the script.

    The Treehouse Theater in NYC will host A Live Read of The Interview on Saturday, Dec 27. It’s free and open to the public. I recently got the opportunity to talk to the show’s producers – Dave Hensely, Benny Scheckner, and Sean Perrotta – three friends and improv actors who just so happened to get hold of an earlier copy of the script.

    “There are three of us that are planning this show,” said Hensley, Scheckner, and Perrotta. “We’re all friends who take classes at a well-known improv school in New York [the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre]. The Treehouse Theater opened just recently. We asked and they said yes. The people there have been extremely supportive — they love that we’re doing this, and we can’t thank them enough for allowing us to use their space.”

    WPN: I know you probably can’t say too much about how you got hold of the script, but are you pretty sure it’s a final copy? Is what you have what’s on the screen?

    HSP: The script is not the final draft, but it very closely agrees with what we know about the movie (from the trailer, press coverage, etc.).

    WPN: What are your thoughts on Sony’s decision to yank the film?

    HSP: We’re huge fans of the filmmakers, and we understand that Sony was in a difficult position, and that they have been strong armed by theater chains. But ultimately, we can’t let threats of terrorism from a foreign nation inhibit free speech here in America. That’s the most important thing.

    WPN: So, have you read through the script yet? Thoughts?

    HSP: Yeah, it’s great. We think the movie is extremely positive for the people of North Korea (if not their leader).

    WPN: What do you hope to accomplish with the read-through?

    HSP: We hope the read makes people feel empowered, as well as entertained. And we hope to remind them that, as we found out a few days ago, free speech isn’t a given — it’s something we need to fight for.

    The live read has been cast, and will kick off at 7pm. It will be immediately followed by Fuck You Kim Jong Un! A Comedy Show to Benefit the People of North Korea – an improv show “based on awful North Korean propaganda films”. Admission to that is $5, all of which will go to Human Rights Watch.

    “Our feelings are that Kim Jong-un already does enough censorship in his own country, and we don’t need him deciding what movies we can and can’t watch here in the US,” said Hensley, Scheckner, and Perrotta. “Americans understand the importance of free speech. But again — and this is really the heart of the issue — we can’t have free speech if we let fear inhibit it and dictate our decisions.”

    In late November, Sony Pictures fell victim to a massive hack – one which exposed private information, including some pretty embarrassing emails from studio execs. A group that called themselves ‘Guardians of Peace” took credit for the hack. As the group dumped more and more data from the hack, it began to threaten any and all theaters who dared show The Interview.

    “The world will be full of fear,” the message read. “Remember the 11th of September 2001. We recommend you to keep yourself distant from the places at that time. (If your house is nearby, you’d better leave.)”

    The hacker group is reportedly incensed over the content of the movie, which depicts the assassination of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un.

    Soon after, a handful of high-profile theaters announced cancellations of The Interview showings. And that led to a blanket decision from Sony to yank the film entirely.

    “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 strangely contradictory statement. “We stand by our filmmakers and their right to free expression and are extremely disappointed by this outcome.

    “We respect and understand our partners’ decision and, of course, completely share their paramount interest in the safety of employees and theatergoers.”

    It’s still unknown what role, if any, North Korea had in the Sony cyberattacks. The FBI is saying there’s enough evidence to conclude that North Korea was behind it.

    What should Sony do? What should individual theaters do? Let us know in the comments.

    Image via The Interview, Facebook

  • Anonymous Takes Aim at North Korea After Sony Hack; George Clooney, Sean Penn Pile On

    When Sony Pictures first found its email and other networked systems compromised, it looked like another hacker prank. Emails were leaked, unreleased movies were set free on file sharing sites, and embarrassing inside info made its way to headlines.

    But the world soon learned that it looked like the hack was the work of an official government cyberattack. As bizarre as it sounds, North Korea was angry about an upcoming Seth Rogen-James Franco comedy movie in which the pair kills North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.

    The Interview is not the first film released in America to poke fun at or portray North Korea and its leadership as villainous. Team America did it. The Red Dawn remake did it. North Korea has become the megalomaniac villain go-to in Hollywood when jihadi terrorists are just too real to portray. They are the old Soviet Red Tide of yesteryear.

    But for some reason North Korea seems to have taken particular exception to Rogen and Franco in The Interview. So — if the official story is to be believed — they hacked Sony and threatened to bomb theaters that showed The Interview. So Sony pulled the movie.

    Now hacktivist group Anonymous — insomuch as such a construction can be called a “group” — is declaring an “operation” against North Korea. Anonymous “members” have shown their hacking acumen in the past, and they now vow to bring that to bear against North Korea in retaliation for the Sony hack.

    Exactly what they plan to do has not been outlined in detail. But Anonymous may be able to bring considerable muscle to bear on the country.

    Other reactions around the country seems to follow the same theme: The mighty U.S.A. should not capitulate to a snot-nosed joke like North Korea, not over matters of national security, not over international finance issues, and not even over some silly movie.

    George Clooney was vocal about his opinion on what this development could mean for businesses all over the United States.

    “Here, we’re talking about an actual country deciding what content we’re going to have. This affects not just movies, this affects every part of business that we have. That’s the truth. What happens if a newsroom decides to go with a story, and a country or an individual or corporation decides they don’t like it? Forget the hacking part of it. You have someone threaten to blow up buildings, and all of a sudden everybody has to bow down.

    “We have a new paradigm, a new reality, and we’re going to have to come to real terms with it all the way down the line. Because this could happen to an electric company, a car company, a newsroom. It could happen to anybody.”

    Clooney points out that this hacking was not just about some silly movie. North Korea showed that they were able and willing to realease potentially damaging information about American citizens.

    “The hacking is terrible because of the damage they did to all those people. Their medical records, that is a horrible thing, their Social Security numbers. Then, to turn around and threaten to blow people up and kill people, and just by that threat alone we change what we do for a living, that’s the actual definition of terrorism.”

    Clooney even acknowledges that there was a strategy to how North Korea released the information they did. First they made Sony a national joke by releasing emails that showed company execs making racist and derogatory statements about the people who would normally likely rush to their defense: actors and President Obama.

    “Here’s the brilliant thing they did. You embarrass them first, so that no one gets on your side.”

    Clooney’s opinion on what should happen now?

    “Stick it [The Interview film] online. Do whatever you can to get this movie out. Not because everybody has to see the movie, but because I’m not going to be told we can’t see the movie. That’s the most important part. We cannot be told we can’t see something by Kim Jong-un, of all fucking people.”

    Sean Penn warned of even further repercussions, these straight from terrorists that we take more seriously. He said in a statement to Mother Jones:

    “This week, the distributors who wouldn’t show The Interview and Sony have sent ISIS a commanding invitation. I believe ISIS will accept the invitation. Pandora’s box is officially open.

    “The decision to pull The Interview is historic. It’s a case of putting short term interests ahead of the long term. If we don’t get the world on board to see that this is a game changer, if this hacking doesn’t frighten the Chinese and the Russians, we’re in for a very different world, a very different country, community, and a very different culture.

    “This matter should be before the UN Security Council today.”

  • Obama: Sony ‘Made a Mistake’ by Canceling The Interview

    President Obama has officially weighed in on Sony’s decision to pull the new film The Interview, due to threats made by a hacker group which previously exposed company documents.

    “Sony’s a corporation. It suffered significant damage. There were threats against some of its employees,” he said “I am sympathetic to the concerns that they faced. Having said all that, yes, I think they made a mistake.”

    “I wish they had spoken to me first,” he continued.

    The President declined to discuss any possible actions, saying only that “we will respond, we will respond proportionally, and in a place and time that we choose … it’s not something that I will announce here today at this press conference.”

    Obama closed with a sort of ‘slippery slope’ argument.

    “We cannot have a society in which some dictator someplace can start imposing censorship here in the United States. Imagine what they could do if they see a documentary they don’t like or news they don’t like. Even worse, imagine if producers or distributors start engaging in self-censorship because they don’t want to offend the sensibilities of someone whose sensibilities probably need to be offended. That’s not who we are. That’s not what America’s about,” he said.

    The FBI has announced that it feels the hacks were of North Korean origin, saying that its investigations have turned up “enough information to conclude that the North Korean government is responsible for these actions.”

    “We are deeply concerned about the destructive nature of this attack on a private sector entity and the ordinary citizens who worked there. Further, North Korea’s attack on SPE reaffirms that cyber threats pose one of the gravest national security dangers to the United States. Though the FBI has seen a wide variety and increasing number of cyber intrusions, the destructive nature of this attack, coupled with its coercive nature, sets it apart. North Korea’s actions were intended to inflict significant harm on a U.S. business and suppress the right of American citizens to express themselves. Such acts of intimidation fall outside the bounds of acceptable state behavior,” said the FBI.

  • Theater to Show ‘Team America: World Police’ in Lieu of ‘The Interview’

    While it’s still up in the air whether or not the Seth Rogen/James Franco comedy The Interview will ever see a theatrical release, we do know that it won’t happen anytime soon.

    Since Sony pulled the plug on the film’s Christmas premiere due to vague threats from alleged Sony hackers, one regional theater is doing the next best thing to showing the new film – showing an old film that also mocks a North Korean dictator.

    The Alamo Drafthouse in the Dallas/Fort Worth area has decided that, instead of showing The Interview, it’ll show Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s new-classic Team America: World Police. The film was released a decade ago.

    “Sure, you can celebrate your independence the usual way: slow sipping a beer as you stand over a grill while people you have only mild contempt for wait inside for their free meal. OR you can join The Action Pack as we celebrate the GREATEST MOVIE MADE ABOUT AMERICAN PATRIOTISM EVER and celebrate its 10th anniversary!” says the Drafthouse.

    “So celebrate your indendence this year with the Action Pack. We’ll have subtitles for all the songs and all of our favorite quotes, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to scream out “AMERICA! FUCK YEAH!” at the top of your lungs. And yeah, we will have American flags, red white and blue streamers, balloons, and more for everyone. And THAT is how true American heroes will be celebrating this year, but if you want to let the terrorists win…well, that’s your prerogative.”

    The ‘terrorists winning’ likely references Sony’s decision to yank the movie, which came earlier this week. After a massive cyberattack resulted in tons of leaked documents from Sony, the hackers responsible made vague, 9/11-referencing threats concerning any theater that screened The Interview.

    In the film involves a plot where a television host is recruited to assassinate North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un. US officials are now saying that they have evidence that North Korea was in fact behind the Sony hack.

    According to some of the leaked documents, some execs at Sony weren’t all that excited about The Interview anyway. We know that Team America: World Police is a great movie. Just watch that instead. Maybe other cinemas across the country will follow suit and show it instead.

    Image via YouTube

  • “The Interview” Gets Pulled From Theater Release

    The Interview has dominated headlines for weeks–even though it wasn’t scheduled to be released in theaters until Christmas Day–due to some very controversial subject matter, and now reports are coming in that after receiving several threats, Sony has made the decision to pull the film from release altogether.

    After hackers gained access to Sony employees’ private emails and previously unseen material and then released it to the public, the company released a statement aimed at those responsible.

    “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,” the statement read.

    The film, which stars James Franco and Seth Rogen, centers around a man who is recruited to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jung-Un and has garnered a slew of negative attention in recent weeks, with the hackers threatening violence upon the theaters who choose to show the movie.

    “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. (If your house is nearby, you’d better leave),” read a recent message.

    Sony released a statement this week announcing that they would not be releasing the film–which cost about $42 million to produce–out of an abundance of caution.

    “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 theater-goers.”

    According to the AP, a U.S. official has reported that North Korea has been linked to the Sony hacks; however, that has not been confirmed.

  • Amy Pascal May Be On the Chopping Block at Sony Over Hacks and Leaks

    Amy Pascal of Sony has found herself in the hot-seat lately over hacks and leaks out of her company. While the hacking of copies of entire films is one thing, it was the presumed-confidential information in emails that caught lots of attention.

    Amy Pascal is co-chairman of Sony Pictures. She is known in Hollywood for having an instinct when it comes to picking movie projects that will become hits. Pascal started as a secretary in the film business, but clawed her way to the top by picking winners and never taking crap.

    When the Sony hacking attack started, email systems were compromised, Twitter accounts were hijacked, and entire movies were stolen and leaked onto file-sharing sites. Films like Fury, Annie, Still Alice, Mr. Turner and To Write Love on Her Arms are all out there for anyone who knows how to use Bittorrent with a VPN. This is a serious blow. Back in the summer, Expendables 3 got leaked like that and box office receipts were never up to expectations.

    Experts suspect that the hack was perpetrated by North Korea, which is angry over Sony Pictures’ recent release, The Interview. The film protrays Seth Rogen and James Franco as assassins who kill Kim Jon Un. The Korean government has called the film “a blatant act of terrorism and war” and would lead to “merciless” retaliation. The tech characteristics of the hack have features that North Korea has used in cyber activities before, leading to the suspicion that they are behind this one.

    But Pascal’s emails are what have been coming back to bite her.

    Pascal joked about whether President Obama prefers movies about freed slaves and other black themes. That led to an apology from her:

    “The content of my e-mails to Scott were insensitive and inappropriate but are not an accurate reflection of who I am,” Pascal said in a statement. “Although this was a private communication that was stolen, I accept full responsibility for what I wrote and apologize to everyone who was offended.”

    But other embarrassing things came out of the Sony hack. One is that men are paid more than women at Sony, even in the films. Jennifer Lawrence was paid less than her male co-stars for American Hustle. And Amy Pascal herself is the only woman at Sony who is paid more than $1 million in salary.

    Movie producer Scott Rudin called Angelina Jolie a “minimally talented spoiled brat.” Rudin was also involved in the emails about President Obama.

    Sony had collected lots of information about employees’ health issues, including premature births, cancer, and liver problems. Aliases of certain actors were revealed, as well as spoiler news about upcoming films.

    In the end, the question is whether Amy Pascal will still have a job at Sony when the dust settles.

    Deadline asked this week:

    “Is it possible their track records for quality, thoughtful films and collaborations with top talent can be set aside and that Rudin and Pascal could be tarred and defined by momentary lapses and poor attempts at humor that paint them as being racially insensitive, in e-mails meant to be private? … People in town are wondering how long Pascal and the studio can, under the guise of not dignifying the damage caused by these stolen documents, continue to weather an unprecedented media assault without saying anything.”

  • Seth Rogen Supports Fight Against Alzheimer’s Disease With Hilarity For Charity

    As a call to arms in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease, Seth Rogen and wife Lauren Miller recently held an event that raised more than $900,000 for the cause. Rogen and Miller staged the third annual Hilarity For Charity event on October 17, Friday, to raise money for efforts to combat Alzheimer’s disease and succeeded in getting donations while providing a variety show full of fun.

    Artists such as Rob Lowe, Taylor Lautner and Marcia Gay Harden as well as personalities like Judd Apatow and Maria Shriver showed up at The Hollywood Palladium to pledge their support for the fight against Alzheimer’s disease. They watched artists such as Sarah Silverman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Weird Al Yankovic and Craig Robertson and The Nasty Delicious give entertaining performances. A highlight of the variety show was when Rogen and Miller joined singing group Bell Biv Devoe onstage to perform their 1990s hit, “Poison.”

    — TheWrap (@TheWrap) October 19, 2014

    — Variety (@Variety) October 18, 2014

    Hilarity For Charity was a prom-themed event that had artists, donors and supporters for Alzheimer’s disease awareness showing up in their best prom wear. Rogen wore a white tuxedo and sneakers, while Miller was dressed in blue ruffles and wearing a corsage.

    Rogen has been a vocal advocate for the fight against Alzheimer’s disease for a decade, since Miller’s 63-year-old mother Adele has had it. “We look to the government and we realize that it’s ridiculously underfunded,” said Rogen in an interview with Huffington Post. Because of this, Rogen and Miller reportedly set up Hilarity For Charity, which has successfully raised money for the disease for three years.

    Rogen’s upcoming film The Interview has recently gotten some publicity due to the media disappearance of Kim Jong Un, leader of North Korea, who is a character in the comedy. “It is amazing. It’s almost as if we gave (Kim) a list of, ‘Here’s what you can do that would help promote our film.’ And he’s doing pretty much all of it,” joked Rogen.

  • Seth Rogen And James Franco’s North Korea Comedy “The Interview” Hits Theaters Christmas Day

    James Franco and Seth Rogen have gained a lot of attention with their latest comedy film, The Interview. So much attention, in fact, that Sony Pictures has pushed back the release date of the film from October 10th to the much more competitive December 25th slot, otherwise known as Christmas Day.

    “The combination of Seth, Evan and James is pure comedic magic,” Sony’s Worldwide Distribution President Rory Bruer said according to the Los Angeles Times, “We’re thrilled to be making the move to Christmas — one of the most important moviegoing days of the year and the perfect date to show off their brand of comedy.”

    The Interview has a lot to compete against. Movies opening on Christmas include Unbroken, Selma, Into the Woods, Paddington, Big Eyes, and Hot Tub Time Machine 2. Moviegoers will have a lot to choose from, and Sony is placing its bets on Seth Rogen and James Franco. Previously, Sony scheduled an untitled romantic comedy directed by Cameron Crowe for Christmas. The Los Angeles Times reports that Crowe’s movie will now come out May 2015.

    Those who will be presumably not seeing the movie on Christmas day include North Korean Ambassador to the United Nations Ja Song Nam who called it “an act of war”.

    The North Korean Foreign Ministry has described the movie as “despicable”, adding, “if the United States administration tacitly approves or supports the release of this film, we will take decisive and merciless countermeasure.”

    In other words, James Franco and Seth Rogen have alienated their fans in the North Korean government.

    Seth Rogen and James Franco’s collaborations won’t stop in December with the release of The Interview. They will both appear in The Sound and the Fury, based on William Faulkner’s novel, which Franco happens to be directing.

    Image via Sony Pictures Entertainment, YouTube

  • Seth Rogen, James Franco Film ‘Act of War’ Per North Korea

    Seth Rogen and James Franco’s new film The Interview has been deemed an ‘act of war’ by North Korea. The country’s ambassador to the United Nations–Ja Song Nam–says the U.S. government shouldn’t allow its release. The film’s plot involves the assassination of North Korea’s Kim Jong-un.

    “To allow the production and distribution of such a film on the assassination of an incumbent Head of a sovereign State should be regarded as the most undisguised sponsoring of terrorism as well as an act of war,” Nam said in a formal complaint to the U.N.

    Neither Seth Rogen nor James Franco has yet responded to this latest issue regarding The Interview, however when North Korean officials originally complained about the film a couple of weeks ago, Rogen tweeted his feelings on the situation.

    The initial complaint about Rogen’s movie doesn’t mention the name of the film but talks about a plot that “involves insulting and assassinating the supreme leadership.”

    Of course everyone knows the worldwide angst caused by North Korea–most especially at the hands of Kim Jong Un. However it’s more than plain to see that Seth Rogen and James Franco are acting in humor when they take on this ‘assassination attempt’ in their film.

    Do you think The Interview should be reviled as an act of war, or do the people of North Korea–most especially its leaders–simply need to adapt a more American sense of humor?

    The Interview is set to open in U.S. theaters this fall. It likely won’t make it into North Korea–not unless Seth Rogen or James Franco have some duplicitous covert powers of international persuasion.

    Image via YouTube

  • North Korea Warns The U.S. Over James Franco And Seth Rogen Film ‘The Interview’

    James Franco and Seth Rogen’s new movie The Interview has caught North Korea’s attention. In the movie, Franco and Rogen play talk show hosts who are tasked by the CIA to assassinate North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un. The film is scheduled for release in October, but has already caught the attention of many.

    A North Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman said on Wednesday, “The enemies have gone beyond the tolerance limit in their despicable moves to dare hurt the dignity of the supreme leadership.” North Korean officials also said that the movie is “an act of war” from the U.S.

    “If the United States administration tacitly approves or supports the release of this film, we will take decisive and merciless countermeasure,” said the North Korean spokesperson. He said that Washington was guilty of “provocative insanity” for allowing a “gangster filmmaker” to disrespect their country’s supreme leader.

    Although many find the Kim family menacing, they are also easy targets for humor. The Kim family, particularly Kim Jong-il, has been a target of many shows including Team America: World Police, Thirty Rock, and South Park. In an interview with The Telegraph, Executive Director of The Center for North Korea-US Peace Kim Myong-chol said that Hollywood movies are full of “assassinations and executions.” He also said that James Bond is a better character and the films are “much more enjoyable.” Despite backlash from North Korea, Rogen tweeted and said, “Apparently Kim Jong-un plans on watching #TheInterview. I hope he likes it!!”

    This is not the first time a Hollywood film has annoyed other countries. In 2006, Kazakhstan threatened to sue the makers of Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. However, the country later credited the movie for improving their tourism and making their country known all over the world.

    Image via YouTube

  • North Korea Deems ‘The Interview’ an ‘Act of Terror’

    When Matt Stone and Trey Parker released Team America: World Police in 2004, little to no noise was made. Sure, critics in the United States had a field-day discussing all of the different aspects of American and North Korean life that the South Park creators took jabs at, but there was seemingly no response from Kim Jong Il or North Korea itself. Thus, when Seth Rogen and James Franco decided to write a film discussing the assassination of Kim Jong Un, the duo most likely did not expect the response the film has received.

    On Wednesday, North Korea released a statement from its state-run news agency, KCNA, in which it denounced Rogen and Franco’s film, entitled The Interview, stating that if the United States did not act to censor or ban the movie, it would experience a “merciless counter-measure” from North Korea itself.

    “Making and releasing a movie on a plot to hurt our top-level leadership is the most blatant act of terrorism and war and will absolutely not be tolerated,” a foreign ministry spokesman was quoted as saying by KCNA.

    In The Interview, Seth Rogen and James Franco play a television personality and his producer who just happen to land a once-in-a-lifetime, sit-down interview with Kim Jong Un himself. However, before the two can embark for North Korea, the CIA enlists them to help the United States assassinate the leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

    Kim Myong-chol, executive director of The Centre for North Korea-US Peace and an unofficial spokesman for Jong Un, shared his thoughts on the film with The Telegraph:

    There is a special irony in this storyline as it shows the desperation of the US government and American society. A film about the assassination of a foreign leader mirrors what the US has done in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Ukraine. And let us not forget who killed [President John F.] Kennedy – Americans… In fact, President [Barack] Obama should be careful in case the US military wants to kill him as well.

    After his diatribe, however, Myong-chol divulged that he still thought Kim Jong Un would watch the film, despite the protests.

    The film is set to hit theaters on October 14, and so far the United States has not made a move to stop its release.

    Image via YouTube

  • Seth Rogen: Hobby Lobby, “The Interview”, “…The End”

    Seth Rogen may well rank among the busiest guys in Hollywood. This week, the star is grabbing the headlines over Hobby Lobby turmoil, casting for his new film and the DVD release of his hit, This Is The End.

    For his Twitter followers, Rogen is keeping the arts and crafts big box store Hobby Lobby in the hot seat over accusations of anti-Semitism. The turmoil apparently started over an offensive comment made by an employee, for which the company has apologized, and a distinct lack of merchandise celebrating or supporting the Jewish faith, for which the company is promising test market items in New York and New Jersey, according to the Hobby Lobby Facebook page.

    S Rogen Tweet

    Capitalizing yet again on his Freaks and Geeks network, Rogen and James Franco are taking the lead in a new Sony comedy, The Interview, and as of this week they may recruit another alumnus, Lizzy Caplan, who is in talks to play the female lead. The Interview, written and directed by Rogen and Evan Goldberg, embroils a talk show host (Franco) and his producer (Rogen) in a plot of international intrigue and assassinations. Caplan is slated to play a steamy CIA agent who schemes for Franco to kill the prime minister of North Korea.

    This project comes off Rogen’s directorial debut, This Is the End, which nabbed over $100 million at box offices (somewhat helped by a re-release). The apocalypse comedy is just out in stores and Rogen is promoting the outtakes, available at YouTube. Please note, the content is not appropriate for all audiences.

    Rogen and Goldberg have been long-time writing partners, penning Superbad (2007) and Pineapple Express (2008). The duo is also developing an R-rated animated film, Sausage Party, which Goldberg boasts (one presumes, tongue-in-cheek), “I’m going to confidently say it’s the most important film ever produced… It will change the world, like the movie ‘Ghandi.’”

    [Image via Seth Rogen official Twitter.]