If you’re desperate to see the new Seth Rogen/James Franco comedy The Interview, you might be in for a long wait. A number of venues have cancelled screenings following threats from hackers, including the New York cinema where the film was supposed to premiere.
Hackers, calling themselves Guardians of Peace, contacted Sony on Tuesday with a message saying, ‘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. Whatever comes in the coming days is called by the greed of Sony Pictures Entertainment.’
The Department of Homeland Security has not detected an ‘active plot’, but it’s still analysing messages. Since the release of the messages Franco and Rogen have cancelled an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
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It’s just days since Sony faced controversy following a series of leaked emails that contained sexist and racist comments, and confidential information about employees. US chain Carmike cinemas has cancelled all screenings of the film, which is about a fictional assassination attempt made on Kim Jong-un. Sony made an announcement on Tuesday advising that they still planned to go ahead with the nationwide release of the film in the US.
The news has raised many questions about censorship and security. Celebrated producer Judd Apatow tweeted, ‘I am not going to let a terrorist threat shut down freedom of speech. I am going to The Interview. I am not going to let a terrorist threat shut down freedom of speech. I am going to The Interview.’ We see his point – a world where our films are censored is scary. But then so is one where you don’t feel safe when you go to the cinema.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.