Sony's Spine

[mirth]

How long before they also shy away from any films which are the least bit critical of Islamic Fundamentalism?

I thought had been going on for years.

[Sir Slash]

I hear now Japan is threatening to bomb Pearl Harbor again if "Unbroken" is released. And "American Sniper" is due in January.

[BanzaiCat]

Opie and Jim were discussing this at great length this morning (they had Rogan and Franco on the show last week, and both were pretty shaken up so there must be more under the hood). They brought up a great point, that the studios and theatre chains aren't just afraid of North Korea, but of litigious a-holes that will sue them at the slightest provocation. That idiot that shot up the theatre and killed so many for that Batman movie...literally a few hours later the theatre was swimming in subpoenas. So there's that.

They say it definitely sucks, but our society is partially to blame, and I can see that. I hate to bend to the will of some fat idiot in a sh!thole third-world dictatorship, and the little code monkeys that have caused all this to happen, but stupid people have as much potential culpability in this.

I think this movie will find its way to the light of day sooner rather than later, whether officially released or one guy deciding to put it out there on the Interwebs. Regardless, I think NK has created a monster and generated more interest in this movie than would have been garnered had they just ignored the damn thing in the first place, like they should have.

[bayonetbrant]

the studios and theatre chains aren't just afraid of North Korea, but of litigious a-holes that will sue them at the slightest provocation.

this

[Steelgrave]

Sony needs to release the movie for free on YouTube. Screw the Norks.

[BanzaiCat]

I've heard that iTunes has already said they won't touch this movie. I doubt YouTube would too. Everyone's scared to death of getting sued, not necessarily of the Norks.

I still think it's complete bull$hit that everyone caved like this, but it makes more sense considering they're all scared of getting sued by the average idiot American movie-goer.

[endfire79]

the studios and theatre chains aren't just afraid of North Korea, but of litigious a-holes that will sue them at the slightest provocation.

this

^ Agreed.

I don't think they are  worried about the Norks 'retaliation'.  The Norks have been 'retaliating' against South Korea for decades, life still goes on there (and in the rest of Asia), even after multiple kidnappings, bombs, missile launches, border incidents and Gangnam style atrocities.  I think Sony is more afraid of the potential lawsuits that could happen if some nutter goes and does something stupid. 

What other sensitive information was stolen when Sony got hacked?  The Bond movie script apparently got leaked, along with some emails & gossip between the execs. 

[BanzaiCat]

Those emails were more than just gossip, apparently, as Sony has already been sued by numerous people over it. I guess they're suing over Sony not having 'good enough security' but good luck proving that. I would think a company like Sony would already have a hell of a security package in place. $hit happens, no doubt, and things do get leaked, but that's usually because of someone putting studio pre-release DVD copies up on the 'net or other such horseplay. Sony's already trying to batten down the hatches and hope this doesn't get bigger. I bet they'll do a lot of settling instead of letting this drag out.

Count on movies being less creative and MUCH less pushing edges of envelopes, though. Especially when ethnicities or two-bit dictators are concerned.

[MikeGER]

If Sony wants back at the little fatty and his code serfs there is an easy (though not cheap) middle finger: release the movie for free on the internet.

exactly my thoughts.! .. i would have simply uplloaded it to all platforms for free ... in your face little Kimi 

[endfire79]

Did they get pissed that their buddy Dennis Rodman didn't get a part in the movie? ;)

[JasonPratt]

What other sensitive information was stolen when Sony got hacked?  The Bond movie script apparently got leaked, along with some emails & gossip between the execs.

At least one whole completed movie got released to torrent thereby. (Not "The Interview", but I don't recall what it was.)

Some backchannel discussion about wth they should do with the Spiderman franchise, but nothing that changes the current plan (of flailing around for Avengerish setups before the next full Spiderfilm).

Sony's president had to issue an apology to Obama and to black people in general, and seek absolution from two liberal black Protestant popes (in effect), because of some harmless private satire about how terrible films made by and aimed for black audiences tend to be (thus joking about what Obama would, within that satire, end up financing.)

I... guess there were also secret plans stolen on how Sony could detonate theaters by remote internet control if necessary??? I'm a little vague on the particulars there.

[JasonPratt]

I agree, btw, that the ballsy thing to do would be to release the movie on torrent (let the hackers try to detonate that! -- or anyone try to sue them if they did!)

I've also read at least one pre-release review saying the movie is actually quite dang good, near genius -- and that Kim's character, though eventually the clear bad guy, comes off a lot more clever and competent than in real life.

[JasonPratt]

James Gunn posted a Facebook pic today proving he has formally removed Kim Il Jung from the list of potential Dads for Star-Lord.



Hat Tip: Topless Robot

[BanzaiCat]

Sony's president had to issue an apology to Obama and to black people in general, and seek absolution from two liberal black Protestant popes (in effect), because of some harmless private satire about how terrible films made by and aimed for black audiences tend to be (thus joking about what Obama would, within that satire, end up financing.)

No kidding?

Well, this is not anything but truth. Madea movies aren't exactly made for MENSA members.

Then again if Ferguson is any indication, problems within the black community are everyone else's fault but their own. Makes sense the weepy types would try to foster this on Sony too.

[GDS_Starfury]