The hackers who are protesting the release of Sony’s The Interview made a dramatic statement on Tuesday when they threatened 9/11-style attacks on movie theaters.
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Update 2 (7:00 p.m. pacific): Sony is telling theaters that they won’t object if they decide to pull The Interview from their schedules. The first theater chain to do so is Carmike, who has 278 theaters in the United States.
More theaters may announce that they’re pulling out of running The Interview in the coming days. If they do, we’ll let you know.
Not only is this a major hit on the idea of free speech, but this also sets up a dangerous precedent, as noted by a Twitter user: Will theaters begin pulling films when a group objects loudly enough to a story because of its religious, sexual, or political messages?
The FBI says that they have no evidence supporting attacks on movie theaters.
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Update (12:35 p.m. pacific): In light of today’s threat, stars Seth Rogen and James Franco have pulled out of all media appearances on Tuesday, including one with BuzzFeed.
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In an e-mail to media including The Hollywood Reporter, the hacker group that identifies themselves as “Guardians of Peace” said they would strike movie theaters that play Sony’s The Interview, the film that depicts an interviewer (James Franco) and his producer (Seth Rogen) being asked by the CIA to kill North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
“We have already promised a Christmas gift to you. This is the beginning of the gift,” the group said in a statement, citing a previous statement in which they had promised something happening on December 25. “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. 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. All the world will denounce the SONY.”
The eerie statement is one of the biggest threats the group has made against the United States. The Interview is scheduled to hit theaters Christmas Day.
Sony, nor anyone else investigating the group, has yet to confirm that North Korea is behind it. However, this latest e-mail strongly suggests that the sole purpose of this hack is to stop The Interview from opening in theaters.
The studio has yet to respond to these remarks, but presumably the government will be stepping in to survey the seriousness of these threats.
In related news, today two former Sony employees sued the studio for allegedly failing to protect their personal information which was retrieved from the GOP’s hack. A much larger class-action lawsuit is expected.