Sony Pictures Cancels 'The Interview' As Hackers Threaten to Launch 9/11-like Attacks
Sony Pictures, the Hollywood studio that has become a major cyber-attack victim over the past few weeks, decided to cancel the release of the upcoming Seth Rogen-James Franco starring political satire "The Interview," after hackers threatened to blow up theaters that screened the movie.
The hacker group, which calls itself "The Guardians of Peace," sent an anonymous letter to the studio warning that they would launch 9/11-like attacks on the theaters that screened the movie and kill all people who went to watch the movie.
"We will clearly show it to you at the very time and places The Interview be shown, including the premiere, how bitter fate those who seek fun in terror should be doomed to Soon all the world will see what an awful movie Sony Pictures Entertainment has made. The world will be full of fear," the group wrote in the letter.
"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.)," they added.
The Studio first postponed the release date of the movie, which was pised to hit theaters Dec 25 but later gave in and cancelled the movie.
"We respect and understand our partners' decision and, of course, completely share their paramount interest in the safety of employees and theater-goers," the studio wrote.
"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 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 filmakers and their right to free expression and are extremely disappointed by this outcome," they added.
The Interview
The movie stars Seth Rogen and James Franco, two media people who are later roped in by the CIA to kill North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un.
Watch the trailer below:
