Last night we reported that Seth Rogen and James Franco canceled public appearances in the wake of the SONY hacker threat attacks on movie theaters that showed movie THE INTERVIEW. Now, only days before the planned Christmas day release of the North Korea parody film, SONY’s screening of the movie at Landmark’s Sunshine Cinema in New York City has been called off..
Sony was not planning on canceling–it was the theater that made the call.
In a sick sense, the publicity this film is getting ensures it will be a blazing box office success. If theaters decide to show it.. Either way, it will have a long shelf life if there are still shelves that house movies. Otherwise a streaming success for future years to come..
The Guardians of Peace threat has garnered more attention than even the Sony hacked documents–perhaps that’s equally fine for Sony since they don’t have to be as worried and red-faced about embarrassing or even racist emails being exchanged by top executives..
But now the big decision is coming: Will theaters across the nation begin pulling the plug on plans to show THE INTERVIEW no Christmas day, thumb their noses at hackers and terrorists, or submit to the demands and hide the film away from the countless number of Americans suddenly intrigued by the raw comedy?
That answer is developing and will undoubtedly come after much thought is put into it..