In the wake of the hacking scandal and terror threats allegedly instigated by North Korea, Sony canceled its theatrical release of the James Franco/Seth Rogen comedy ‘The Interview’ and initially claimed that the film would never see the light of day on any platform. More recently, the studio has backed off a little and may be open to the possibility of releasing the movie somewhere, eventually. If it does get released, do you have any interest in seeing it?
First off, I don’t believe that any theaters were really in danger of being attacked by terrorists over this movie. Those sounded like patently empty threats to me. I’m also inclined to believe the recent article at Wired which posits that this is all the work of hacktivists using North Korea as a scapegoat to distract attention from the real culprits and their real goals. Maybe I’m wrong and we’ll start World War III over a stupid stoner comedy, but the North Korea story seems dubious to me.
Whatever the case, the Christmas theatrical release for ‘The Interview’ was canceled, but the film may come out somewhere later on – perhaps on VOD or direct-to-DVD/Blu-ray. No doubt, all this fuss about the movie will have the effect of drawing extra attention to it, and many viewers who would normally pass it over will wind up seeing it after all.
Personally, I’m not a huge fan of the Rogen/Franco comedies. I thought ‘Pineapple Express’ was terrible, and ‘This Is the End’ was only fitfully amusing and played out its single joke for way too long. I had no intention of seeing ‘The Interview’ before this hacking scandal, and I still don’t. I might watch it if it turns up on HBO, but I won’t pay money to see it.
Are you more interested in this movie than I am?
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William Henley
I hadn’t even heard of this movie before the fiasco, and it still sounds uninteresting to me. But maybe I will watch Team America this weekend (after Christmas) just to stick it to North Korea. In all honesty, I doubt North Korea is behind this – maybe someone IN North Korea is, but I doubt its the North Korean government. I mean, why would a government risk going to war over a movie? And I don’t remember hacks against Paramount over Team America.
NJScorpio
First…I can’t blame a country getting upset that there is a Hollywood comedy about assassinating their leader. Second, it’s a country who’s leadership is known for strange and seemingly irrational responses to what the “Western” world does. So I’m surprised there wasn’t some sort of official statement from the N.K. government calling Sony the devil or something along those lines.
Still, in the great tradition of comedies like “To Be or Not To Be” or “The Great Dictator”, this type of comedy is important.
I’d support it. I’d go see it today if I could, as well as preorder it Amazon.
Shannon Nutt
I’d buy a ticket to see it just to do my part…then I’d sneak into the theater showing The Gambler or Unbroken. 🙂
T.J. Kats
I’d check it out on HBO or something. Pineapple express was only ok and This is the End was about an hour to long.
Csm101
This looks like a rental for me. The only way I’d catch it in a theater is if I snuck in after my main feature was over.
Shannon Nutt
It’s now getting a limited Christmas release…any readers live close to a theater that will be showing it?
Looks like it MAY be getting a VOD release as well.
William Henley
The only theater showing it in North Texas is like 50 miles away from me. I was not really interested before, so I am certainly not driving 50 miles to see it
Timcharger
“Yes, I think it looks hilarious” AND “I’d see it just to stick it to Kim Jong-un.”
That’s the best answer.
Drew
I’m getting it. (Northern California). I’m going to see it on December 26.
Lord Bowler
I’m not a big Seth Rogan fan, and this movie looks like more of the same from him.
That being said, I’ve wanted to see it all along because of its plot in the hopes that is funnier than Rogan’s normal fare.
I recently saw Neighbors (with Rogan and Franco’s brother) and it was terrible.
Now, with the controversy, I would actually see this in theater just to poke Kim Jung Un in the eye. Normally, I would’ve waited to rent it.