Following pointed criticism from President Barack Obama for shelving "The Interview," Sony Pictures Entertainment on Friday defended its decision, claiming it had no choice but to cancel the film's Christmas Day theatrical release.
Obama said during a press conference Friday that Sony "made a mistake" in dropping "The Interview." However, the studio fired back, saying the cancellation happened only because the country's top theater chains pulled out. "This was their decision," Sony said in a statement.
"Without theaters, we could not release it in the theaters on Christmas Day. We had no choice."
Sony insists it has only cancelled the Christmas Day release and that it has been "actively surveying alternatives" to release the film on a different platform.
"It is still our hope that anyone who wants to see this movie will get the opportunity to do so," said Sony.
The back-and-forth volleying between one of Hollywood's top studios and the President of the United States was only the latest dramatic turn in the four weeks since a hacker group calling itself Guardians of Peace crippled Sony Pictures' computer systems and began leaking hacked emails and data, insisting that the Seth Rogen North Korea satire not be released. The hacking escalated to terrorist threats against theaters showing the film. On Friday, the FBI officially named North Korea as the source of the hacking attacks.
Since Sony cancelled the film's Dec. 25 release on Wednesday, the studio has come under withering criticism by those who have said capitulating to hackers sets a dangerous precedent. Everyone from George Clooney to Newt Gingrich has bitterly reproached Sony for what they've called self-censorship that goes against American ideals of freedom of expression. Obama said the same Friday morning.
"I wish they had spoken to me first," said Obama in a press conference. "We cannot have a society in which some dictatorship someplace can start imposing censorship."
But in an interview with CNN on Friday, Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton disputed that, saying: "The President, the press and the public are mistaken about what happened." He also said that he spoke to a senior adviser in the White House about the situation.
By putting the blame at the feet of North American exhibitors, Sony seemingly appears to contradict earlier accounts of events.
The top multiplex chains in North America dropped "The Interview" on Wednesday only after Sony informed them that it would not protest if the theaters pulled the film. At the time, Regal Cinemas partly attributed cancelling "The Interview" ''due to wavering support of the film." AMC Entertainment noted "the overall confusion and uncertainty" surrounding the movie.
A spokeswoman for Sony also earlier seemingly crushed hopes of a video-on-demand or digital release of "The Interview," saying on Wednesday that Sony had no plans to release it.
Sony has been removing promotional materials for "The Interview" from its websites and trailers of the film from YouTube. Sony employees on Friday received an email from the hackers praising the "wise" decision to withdraw the film and warned against distributing it in "any format."
"We have not given in and we have not backed down," Lynton told CNN, however. "We have always had every desire to have the American public see this movie."
“Heretic” and “Maria” Set As Red Carpet Premieres At AFI Fest
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red Carpet Premieres section at this year’s AFI Fest. The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Maria Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the world premieres of Music By John Williams, Robert Zemeckis’ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. The full lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
“At the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema--together,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “We look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.”
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (portrayed by Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Beck, Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the world’s most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as Callas (Jolie)... Read More