Back on November 24th, 2014, Sony Pictures Entertainment was hacked. All of the Sony Pictures information was stolen, including, but not limited to current and past employees Social Security Numbers, the amount actors and actresses were paid for a particular film. The hacking of Sony Pictures Entertainment was due to the release of their movie titled The Interview.
The premise of the The Interview is that two individuals are assigned to kill the leader of North Korea, Kim Jung Un. The source of the hack has been rumored to be North Korea, due to movie being released. Today we learned that North Korea was indeed the source of the hacking. Subsequently, Sony Pictures has decided to pull The Interview for its December 25th release date. The statement from Sony Pictures is:
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.
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 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.
While it is sad that Sony Pictures has to pull the movie, it is entirely understandable why Sony has chosen to do this. There have been some good responses by individuals on Twitter regarding Sony Pictures pulling the movie.
If only Sony had a media console installed in millions of homes that they could use to release a film.
— anildash (@anildash) December 18, 2014
https://twitter.com/thefergusclan/status/545367682174824448
https://twitter.com/avocadogreta/status/545371488757755904
https://twitter.com/RiskyLiberal/status/545371383933317120
IRONY IS: This whole #Sony and #TheInterview North Korea attack would make a great movie someday. But really WTF! http://t.co/ZKm2ZAjbTt
— Tom McMahon (@macmathunat) December 18, 2014
Hey, @SonyPictures, better call Saul #TheInterview
— бытие и мемы (@spicy_drama) December 18, 2014
https://twitter.com/erielledelzer/status/545371285883072512
Free idea: live readings of #TheInterview script on Christmas Day all over the country. Cc: @Sethrogen @JamesFrancoTV @ditzkoff #protest
— Jarrett Frankel (@jarfrankel) December 18, 2014
Dear Sony Hackers: now that u run Hollywood, I'd also like less romantic comedies, fewer Michael Bay movies and no more Transformers.
— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) December 17, 2014
Idea that the *actual* hackers were North Korean is ridiculous. North Koreans use upgraded version of DOS. Independent contractors.
— PoundPoundPoundHat (@Popehat) December 18, 2014
Hey Sony, wanna license INTERVIEW to @drafthousefilms? Cause we like the movie a lot AND DONT NEGOTIATE WITH TERRORISTS
— James ✡️ Emanuel ✡️ Shapiro (@JamesEmShapiro) December 17, 2014
We get threatened with hacker attacks and theaters closing down for #TheInterview but THIS gets nothing?!?! The fuck? pic.twitter.com/PIf6edinwi
— Sherrod (@HEELSherrod) December 18, 2014
Dennis Rodman must've REALLY hated #TheInterview. “@washingtonpost: US officials determine N. Korea behind Sony hack http://t.co/uFqu8IXLFg”
— LisaMCBusby (@ooburr) December 18, 2014
https://twitter.com/kgal1298/status/545372395381342209
https://twitter.com/coyotekanye/status/545372859233624065
https://twitter.com/BlantonMcKenzie/status/545373266487939072
We're going to war because of @Sethrogen. Ya just can't make this shit up 💣💨#KimJongUn #NorthKorea #TheInterview 😂😂😂
— Madison (@MadisonSays) December 18, 2014
https://twitter.com/kjhealy/status/545367741683613696