All Things:Comedy

I don't necessarily disagree, except that it sounds like now they're planning to shelve the movie completely?

I get that theater owners could very well be liable if anything were to happen, and with the shooting in Aurora, Colorado a while ago still being in court (the suit against the theater, that is), it's understandable.

To a certain degree.

Backing off this far, being willing to seemingly write off this much money does set a dangerous precedent, though. And I don't like it. You want to go straight to VOD? Fine. Do that. I can deal with that. Shelve it entirely for an undetermined amount of time? Not cool. That's giving too much.


On the plus side, though, we now know how to stop the next Transformers movie from being released.

I don't think they can afford NOT to make money on this movie. And that will be the determining factor here...rattle all the sabres you want about free speech/terrorism/etc. I think they are circling the wagons and trying to determine the OPTIMUM alternate release for this. I bet my bottom dollar there is a prevalent feeling that is running through the execs of 'OMIGOD HOW CAN WE CAPITALIZE ON ALL THIS BUZZ' moreso than white flag waving. I thought a controversial R rated comedy was a tough sell during the holidays where large groups go en masse to the theaters, hence the middle of the road fare usually served up at this time. So, they hold back for a minute while they figure it out. This story and the resulting press will just grow, so they have no ticking clock. Don't worry, this will NOT turn into the Jerry Lewis Holocaust clown flick. There's money to be made kids and Sony will get a TON of cred for being 'BRAVE' and releasing it at $20 a pop.
 
Don’t Expect to See THE INTERVIEW Anytime Soon; Sony Says It Has “No Further Release Plans”

Read more at http://collider.com/sony-the-interview-no-release-plans/#1OIKWSPe9DkluZjB.99

A Sony Pictures spokesman tells Variety that the studio “has no further release plans for the film.” We previously reported that Sony was mulling a VOD release, but if that does happen, I still don’t think we’ll see it any time soon. The movie is stuck in limbo until the furor dies down or the terrorists are brought to justice. The coast isn’t clear for Sony, and I doubt they’ll move forward until they have some certainty that it’s “safe” to release the movie.
That being said, the movie has just been pulled from North America right now. Variety adds that The Interview is scheduled for release in foreign markets in late January. We’ll see if they still get the film, or if Sony planning to lock it away in a vault for an indeterminate amount of time. Nothing would please me more if South Korea, a nation that’s in immediate, physical danger of North Korea, showed the movie. But if they chose not to, I would understand. Here in the U.S. and Canada, Sony and theater chains flinched because they didn’t want to be held liable if the threat was credible even though the Department of Homeland Security said there was no active plot against movie theaters.

Read more at http://collider.com/sony-the-interview-no-release-plans/#1OIKWSPe9DkluZjB.99

Lets wait and see. I think Sony is doing the smart thing right now. On the naive side, pulling it entirely may back the terrorists off, on the cynical side...well, folks are gonna WANT to see this.
 
Sony Drops New “In Franco and Rogen We Trust” THE INTERVIEW Promo Touting Christmas Release; Is a VOD Debut on the Way?
Read more at http://collider.com/the-interview-promo-franco-rogen-vod/#hX9HkcvxbBASB1Wb.99

In my four years of writing for Collider professionally, this may have been the weirdest movie news week I’ve ever seen. The Sony hack hit a crucial moment as theater chains began refusing to show The Interview, followed by Sony Pictures officially pulling the theatrical release altogether. The studio said it had “no further release plans” after the announcement despite some speculation that they might just release the film on VOD, but today the studio uploaded a new The Interview promo with the Christmas Day release intact. Moreover, the video addresses the controversy directly, with a giant “In Franco and Rogen We Trust” blasted over new footage from the movie, which includes a character asking Franco, “How many times can the U.S. make the same mistake?” Does this mean a VOD release is actually in the cards? More after the jump.

The fact that Sony would officially upload this promo—which is chock-full of references that feel like direct addresses to the controversy surrounding the film’s non-release—is incredibly curious. We’ve already seen a major response from those in the movie industry this week after Sony pulled The Interview, as New Regency canceled a North Korea-set drama that was set to star Steve Carell before it even got to production, and today Paramount Pictures denied theaters permission to screen Team America: World Police instead of the Seth Rogen/James Franco comedy (a move that was positively baffling).

So what does this new The Interview promo—which says the film will be released on Christmas Day—mean? I’d wager the film is going straight to VOD next week. That’s the safest bet from Sony’s perspective, and the studio wasn’t just going to shelve an already completed project for which they’ve paid millions in advertising.

Read more at http://collider.com/the-interview-promo-franco-rogen-vod/#hX9HkcvxbBASB1Wb.99
 
Sony Pictures Removes Latest THE INTERVIEW Promo along with All Clips; Cancels Worldwide Release

Anyone bored yet?
 
Jeez...I am actually feeling really bad for Sony at this point. And I think Howard Stern's argument that the media actually republishing any of the leaked info was borderline collusion w/the terrorists. At some point everyone needs to just declare an embargo on any stolen information. This is a really fascinating moment really...unprecedented. And all over what is essentially a dopey joke movie. I am so sure that the South Park guys are regretting a)that it isn't them at the center of it, and b) that their season is over.
I read on Yahoo that the FBI has officially linked Korea to the cyberterrorism...so there's that.
I wonder if we will eventually be at war with them over this. It's not as ridiculous as it sounds.
 
FBI Confirms North Korea Behind Cyber-Attack; Terrorists Demand THE INTERVIEW Not Be Released Online or on DVD

So...before you go declaring Sony cowardly.
 
You'd figure, after Sony had the nerve to release the crapfest that was Amazing Spider-Man 2, they wouldn't be afraid of anything. mhihi: rolleyes:
 
You'd figure, after Sony had the nerve to release the crapfest that was Amazing Spider-Man 2, they wouldn't be afraid of anything. mhihi: rolleyes:

BOOOOOONNNNNG!!!!!!!!

Sony CEO Responds: ‘We Would Still Like The Public To See This Movie’
http://uproxx.com/filmdrunk/2014/12...ould-still-like-the-public-to-see-this-movie/

In case you’ve been living under a turd rock on douche mountain, you probably heard that Obama commented on Sony shelving The Interview, saying he thinks Sony “made a mistake,” in canceling the release. Now, Sony, which has been pretty quiet about this thing so far, has issued a statement, through CEO Michael Lynton. Lynton told CNN in part “we have not backed down.”

No word on whether he’ll stand his ground, whether you could stand him up at the gates of hell….

“We have not caved, we have not given in, we have persevered, we will not back down.”

“I think actually the unfortunate part is.. The President, the press, and the public are mistaken as to what actually happened. We do not own movie theaters. We cannot decide what will be played in movie theaters,” said Lynton. [Deadline]

Sony had initially left the decision whether to play the movie up to theater owners, then canceled the release after the top five chains all declined to screen it.

He explained that the studio “had no alternative” but to cancel The Interview’s planned Dec. 25 theatrical release because “movie theaters came to us one by one and announced that they would not carry the movie.” He added that the hack is the “worst cyberattack in American history,” but insisted that Sony “would still like the public to see this movie. Absolutely.” [DailyBeast]

With all the awful crap that goes on in this country every day, I don’t know how comfortable I feel breaking out the torches and pitchforks to demand “LET ME SEE THIS SETH ROGEN MOVIE, YOU SON OF A BITCH!” But I’m only human, and if someone says I can’t have something, I definitely want it twice as much, and will probably eventually watch some porn about it. Would seeing it on a different release date feel as much like a symbolic bird flip to Kim Jong? I don’t know. Let’s just say I’d be feeling a lot less patriotic over, say, Annie.

Have to imagine that they may be cooperating with the FBI at this point, so I expect we may get some weird news daily on this...but that's my tinfoil hat speaking.
 
You'd figure, after Sony had the nerve to release the crapfest that was Amazing Spider-Man 2, they wouldn't be afraid of anything. mhihi: rolleyes:

BOOOOOONNNNNG!!!!!!!!

Sony CEO Responds: ‘We Would Still Like The Public To See This Movie’
http://uproxx.com/filmdrunk/2014/12...ould-still-like-the-public-to-see-this-movie/

In case you’ve been living under a turd rock on douche mountain, you probably heard that Obama commented on Sony shelving The Interview, saying he thinks Sony “made a mistake,” in canceling the release. Now, Sony, which has been pretty quiet about this thing so far, has issued a statement, through CEO Michael Lynton. Lynton told CNN in part “we have not backed down.”

No word on whether he’ll stand his ground, whether you could stand him up at the gates of hell….

“We have not caved, we have not given in, we have persevered, we will not back down.”

“I think actually the unfortunate part is.. The President, the press, and the public are mistaken as to what actually happened. We do not own movie theaters. We cannot decide what will be played in movie theaters,” said Lynton. [Deadline]

Sony had initially left the decision whether to play the movie up to theater owners, then canceled the release after the top five chains all declined to screen it.

He explained that the studio “had no alternative” but to cancel The Interview’s planned Dec. 25 theatrical release because “movie theaters came to us one by one and announced that they would not carry the movie.” He added that the hack is the “worst cyberattack in American history,” but insisted that Sony “would still like the public to see this movie. Absolutely.” [DailyBeast]

With all the awful crap that goes on in this country every day, I don’t know how comfortable I feel breaking out the torches and pitchforks to demand “LET ME SEE THIS SETH ROGEN MOVIE, YOU SON OF A BITCH!” But I’m only human, and if someone says I can’t have something, I definitely want it twice as much, and will probably eventually watch some porn about it. Would seeing it on a different release date feel as much like a symbolic bird flip to Kim Jong? I don’t know. Let’s just say I’d be feeling a lot less patriotic over, say, Annie.

Have to imagine that they may be cooperating with the FBI at this point, so I expect we may get some weird news daily on this...but that's my tinfoil hat speaking.

If he wants people to see it, release it online and let people give what they feel it's worth.

Show the world that you'll stand on principle...and that this isn't about money and a big opening.

Otherwise, save the bluster.
 
If he wants people to see it, release it online and let people give what they feel it's worth.

Show the world that you'll stand on principle...and that this isn't about money and a big opening.

Otherwise, save the bluster.

But there's a LOT of money involved here. And when you give folks stuff for free...they aren't likely to pony up dough. C'mon, this ain't...well, North Korea. Capitalism babee!!!!! $$$$$$$$
 
If he wants people to see it, release it online and let people give what they feel it's worth.

Show the world that you'll stand on principle...and that this isn't about money and a big opening.

Otherwise, save the bluster.

But there's a LOT of money involved here. And when you give folks stuff for free...they aren't likely to pony up dough. C'mon, this ain't...well, North Korea. Capitalism babee!!!!! $$$$$$$$

Not true though. Comedians and software devs have offered their product for "pay what you want" for a long while and people have been plenty giving.

All I'm saying, is prove you're not just posturing and you're willing to stand on principle.
 
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