The movie "The Interview" terror threats

[Byron]

In spite of what Hollywood says, is there any real danger to a hack attack? Like a mass casualty event? I have my doubts.

The references to hacking are completely separate from the threats against the movie theaters.

Here's why it's all being mentioned together in one article:

• Sony was the target of a massive cyber attack.
• The hackers gathered up hundreds or thousands of internal Sony e-mails.
• The hackers have been leaking these emails periodically, creating a hell of a mess for Sony. Not so great for PR when everyone sees the nasty things executives say about their own talent, about each other, etc. All sorts of dirty laundry is being aired.
• Less damaging to their PR, but also damaging to their business, scripts, screeners, and other materials have also been leaked.
• People have speculated that the hack was carried out by North Koreans in retaliation for Sony creating a movie where Dear Leader is ridiculed and assassinated.
• Now there are threats of physical attacks, claiming to be from the same hackers, and also claiming that this is indeed related to the movie.

There have been so many news stories (most of them focusing on the dirty laundry) that I haven't kept up with everything. Last I heard, NK still denies responsibility for the attacks and I don't know what the evidence indicates.

[RoyGBiv]

Pretty sad they canceled the NY premier.
This movie was on my "Don't bother" list. Near the top. Well, whatever end signifies the most least likely.
But, I'll try to make it if there's a DFW location for a P-F viewing.
If these clowns get away with scaring people off from bad movie night, how many others will do the same?
What a huge win for their side, with no real exposure and minimal effort. F the Norks.

[GardoneVT]

Ironically, Michael Mann's Blackhat might benefit from all this activity-suddenly a movie about mass cybercrime is very topical.

[Byron]

I suspect that the Streisand Effect will ultimately result in better revenue for "The Interview" than it would have otherwise made. Even if fear is able to drive down opening week numbers, eventually people will want to see what could stir up such a controversy. Hell, the hacks and threats have so far served to keep this movie high in the daily news cycle (way more than any advertising campaign could have achieved).

If I were a hardcore conspiracy theorist, I might even accuse Sony of setting up a publicity stunt. But given all the PR consequences Sony has suffered so far (with presumably more to come), and now terrorist threats, that's obviously not the case.

[Tamara]

If I were a hardcore conspiracy theorist, I might even accuse Sony of setting up a publicity stunt. But given all the PR consequences Sony has suffered so far (with presumably more to come), and now terrorist threats, that's obviously not the case.

Yeah, I saw that one getting bandied about in the usual places and thought "Don't y'all think that's a pretty serious self-inflicted wound just to pimp one mid-budget movie?"

[Byron]

Yeah, I saw that one getting bandied about in the usual places and thought "Don't y'all think that's a pretty serious self-inflicted wound just to pimp one mid-budget movie?"

Indeed. There's not even a dollar value you could put on it at this point. Even if you said to Sony, "We'll guarantee you a BILLION dollars in revenue for this movie. In exchange, we will let some of your top earners (like Angelina Jolie, Kevin Hart, and Adam Sandler) know all the shit you talk about them. We'll release details about how much you pay certain people. We'll release intellectual property that you haven't yet monetized. Some of you will probably be fired"... there's no way they take that deal.

What's funny (if you can call anything about this funny) is that some of the leaked emails show Sony execs crapping on the movie that started this whole controversy, saying it's "desperately unfunny."

[TCinVA]

I suspect that the Streisand Effect will ultimately result in better revenue for "The Interview" than it would have otherwise made. Even if fear is able to drive down opening week numbers, eventually people will want to see what could stir up such a controversy.

You could be right.

...although personally the fact that North Korean dictators might find the movie offensive doesn't really make me any more inclined to sit through what is likely to be an hour and a half of freshman-level rectal insertion and penis jokes.

[RoyGBiv]

Some of you will probably be fired

It's bad to be a leftie and get caught breaking bad on the Imperial President. Hard not to LOL. Sew --> Reap.

[MGW]

http://youtu.be/0pN7nmzuvNc

[NEPAKevin]

... what is likely to be an hour and a half of freshman-level rectal insertion and penis jokes.