As you’ve probably heard, The Interview was pulled from theaters following a series of cyber attacks and terrorist threats from what is believed to be a group of North Korean hackers.
Now, it seems the so-called “Guardians of Peace” are still not satisfied, as they’ve reportedly issued further demands to execs at Sony Pictures Entertainment.
According to CNN, the newest message from the hackers reads, in part:
“We want everything related to the movie, including its trailers, as well as its full version down from every website hosting them immediately.”
The group reportedly also demanded that The Interview never be released on DVD, pay-per-view, video on demand, or any other streaming service.
Yes, the hackers aren’t satisfied by the fact that The Interview was dropped by every major theater chain; they’ve decided to further flex their muscle by demanding that Sony essentially bury any evidence that the film ever existed.
(An impossible task in 2014, of course, but something tells us that despite their technological know-how, the “Guardians” aren’t the most media-savvy lot.)
Many Hollywood stars have been vocal in their criticism of Sony and the theater chains who distanced themselves from the film, and this latest salvo is likely to be taken as further evidence that giving in to the hackers was an ill-advised move that set a dangerous precedent.
Still, the corporations that stood to profit from The Interview have capitulated thus far and sacrificed tens of millions already, so it’s unlikely that they’ll fight back on the comparatively small issue of a home media release.
So sadly, it looks as though a trip to New Mexico might be in order if you ever hope to see the film:
Author George R.R. Martin hopes to screen The Interview at a theater he owns in Santa Fe.
Considering it now looks as though that’s the only way the movie will ever see the light of day, if Rogen can get his hands on a print, we wouldn’t be surprised to see him take GRRM up on his offer.
