Following a disquieting threat from cyber attackers, the New York premiere of Sony’s controversial comedy, “The Interview”, was abruptly canceled. Variety reported that the message from these assailants claiming to be connected to Sony’s recent cyber attack was taken seriously, leading to this unprecedented decision. A representative from Landmark’s Sunshine Cinema, host to the much-anticipated East Coast premiere scheduled for Thursday, confirmed the cancellation.
While the West Coast premiere of this Seth Rogen and James Franco vehicle, which lampoons an assassination plot against North Korean strongman Kim Jong-un, occurred without a hitch in Los Angeles on December 11. An ominous threat from the self-proclaimed “Guardians of Peace” emerged online warning of a 9/11 style attack on movie theaters daring to screen the film.
Following the alarming threat, Sony Pictures Entertainment announced that they have no plans to pull the contentious film. However, they are leaving the final decision for screening the film in theaters up to the owners and chains themselves. As late as Tuesday, one of the largest cinema chains, Carmike Cinemas, decided to pull its planned showings of the film nationwide, according to the Associated Press. It remains unknown how other theater chains will respond to this sensitive situation.
The entire cinematic industry widened its eyes late Tuesday as Sony contemplated the potential repercussions of an internet threat menacing thousands of movie theaters scheduled to show “The Interview” on Christmas Day. Meanwhile, federal officials have announced that they are close to identifying the source of the Sony hack.
The secretive nature of the ongoing investigation prevented a key federal law enforcement officer familiar with the case from providing a precise timeline for the announcement. Cybersecurity expert Philip Lieberman, President of Lieberman Software Corporation, opined that the nature of this cyber attack might trigger significant government involvement and potentially instigate international cooperation.
Prominent film critic and historian Leonard Maltin expressed his shock over the unfolding events, lamenting the new territory the film industry finds itself in. “There have been numerous protests over films,” he said. “But threats from an anonymous group on this scale are unprecedented.”
Warnings of possible violence have left potential viewers of the film unnerved, as the message cautioned, “We recommend you to keep yourself distant from the places at that time. (If your house is nearby, you’d better leave.)”
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