Thursday, December 18, 2014
North Korea Behind Sony Hack
Last night, CNN reported that North Korea is in fact behind the Sony Hack. Sony decided to pull The Interview from being released to theatres earlier in the day on Wednesday. Let's Monday Morning Quarterback the Sony situation: Did Sony make the right call in pulling The Interview due to the threat, or did they set a dangerous precedent for future volatile situations?
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Batshit! I really did think this was a Rogen/Franco publicity stunt for the movie.
ReplyDeleteAnd, yeah, I think this does set a dangerous precedent.
Well if CNN reported it, it has to be true!
ReplyDeleteI still think it was PR stunt. I wouldn't put that beyond "I'm a genusm just ask me" Franco.
That movie wouldn't have stood a chance against the 5 armies anyway. Cutting their losses.
I kind of miss the point when I misspell genius, eh?
DeleteHa! I noticed that, @Bacon!
DeleteHey, hope you're having a great holiday season! :)
The report I read said that Sony expected it to gross $50 million on opening weekend. But who knows.
DeleteI agree that it sure smells like a publicity stunt.
DeleteSo far so good Rhysie :) Actually oddly enough venturing to the theater this wkd to catch the latest Hobbit. Hopefully Middle Earth doesn't haxor it's way in and ruin our date night. Because really..that would kind of suck.
DeleteI hope you are doing well my friend! :) Happy Holidays
Oooh, "date night"?! Have fun!
DeleteHappy Holidays to you as well! I'm well, finally (sort of) getting into the holiday spirit, fixing to make several batches of Fudge-for-Dummies, different flavors. Wish me luck! xo
Bacon - I wouldn't put that beyond "I'm a genusm just ask me" Franco.
DeleteI thought you were merely writing that statement the way Franco would have, the spelling emphasizing that he is NOT as smart as he thinks he is.
Dangerous precedent, absolutely. This emboldens any country, group or company to hold America hostage to their values, not ours. It's like appeasing Hitler - it doesn't stop the bad guys from enforcing their will on you. My opinion is that the majority of Americans don't like to be bullied. I think Sony should prepare itself for major backlash from American consumers.
ReplyDeleteI still think that we'll see a *surprise* corporate takeover in the next few months. Sony stock is in the shitter.
DeleteIt's amazing how Sony has missed out on every consumer electronics trend for the last 30 years or so. Remember when Sony Walkman's were huge? When was the last time you bought a Sony anything? Apple had better be careful...this is the future when you stop innovating.
DeleteI still like the Sony TVs.
DeleteSony bought Minolta, they make good cameras
DeleteI have a Sony Walkman Mp-3 player that puts ANY iPod to shame.
DeleteI'm on the horns of a dilemma here. 1) I don't think Franco is funny, charming, or attractive. He strikes me as a sleaze. 2) Kim Jung Un is a first order whack-a-doo who gets off on jerking people around. So, even though you couldn't pay me to watch this movie, I don't like some nut job with a Moe haircut and a Napoleon complex being able to keep me from seeing it.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you, Snarky. This is completely not my type of movie. But now I just want to watch it as a gesture of defiance.
DeleteOver on reddit, it's been suggested that Sony now make the movie available for free online, thereby guaranteeing that a huge chunk of the global population sees it and poking Kim Jung Un with a million-pronged stick.
DeleteI like that idea. I could let it stream and just walk away. Lol
DeleteDoes it occur to anyone else that if this is indeed a PR stunt, that everyone going to see the movie in "defiance" is playing right into SONY's hands?
DeleteBottom line, if they didn't pull it and something bad did happen, they would never hear the end of lawsuits and people screaming that they should have pulled it. It's a lose/lose scenario.
Agree with all y'all!
DeleteI would have preferred to see Sony release it for free online - officially, although I know that the hacked version is already out there - or play it at just a few selected cinemas for symbolic reasons, maybe even unannounced to lower any risk of violence. Or they could give it to citizen groups to stage their own defiant showings.
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing the reason they pulled entirely it has more to do with insurance than anything else. Now they can write it off as a total loss.
What are the chances that no preview copies have been distributed and the film won't "leak"? Frankly, as much as I despise artistic censorship, I can live a full and happy life without this particular embodiment of the Rogan/Franco bromance and it's unlikely I would watch it, with or without the controversy.
ReplyDeleteMy theory is that they realized it wasn't going to do a drop in the bucket re: investment v outcome. They came up with the hacking stuff and released some embarrassing email but took it too far with the terrorism. No operating theater lucky enough to still be in business these days will take the risk. I'm sure everyone still remember the Batman massacre.
DeleteTLDR I think the movie was filmed at a loss and they went too far trying to promote it.
I seriously doubt NK has to do with any of this, hell I seriously doubt their leader even knows what day it is. Or his own name half the time.
I just heard on the radio that they had expected it to do $30 mil opening day. That doesn't sound too bad for a Christmas release.
DeleteKim Jong-un is a fat little spoiled psychopath, but he went to boarding schools in Europe. The top brass in DPRK are not the same as the civilians.
Deadline says a North Korea-based Steve Carrell flick has also been scrapped.
ReplyDeletehttps://deadline.com/2014/12/north-korea-thriller-gore-verbinski-steve-carell-canceled-new-regency-1201328532/
Heard about that this morning on the news. It's also being reported that Amy Pascal will likely be fired because of the leaked emails.
DeleteSony is shooting itself in the foot for their reactions to all of this.
America has lost its first cyberwar. This sets a very dangerous precedent.
ReplyDeleteI once heard Joan Rivers say, "Never apologize for a joke. If you apologize for one joke, you'll have to apologize for every joke." Same thing goes for movies. If one anonymous group can get a movie cancelled, every anonymous group can get movies cancelled.
If the next Bond villain is German, and an anonymous German hacker group threatens to do something, will the Bond film be cancelled?
You can't unring a bell, and Sony just rang a very loud bell.
I have mixed feelings. I'm not crazy about Sony scrapping the movie, but on the other hand if something really were to happen everyone would be all over them for showing the movie. I also feel less strongly about it because this is a private, commercial question. If the North Koreans were trying to prevent the government from taking some action then I'd say hell to the no.
ReplyDeleteI don't think this is a publicity stunt. It might get Sony, Rogen, and Franco a lot of publicity but it won't make them any money and that's what really counts. In any case, this looks like a D-O-G of a movie and you couldn't pay me money to see it. What people see in either of these guys is completely beyond me.
Totally agree. Sony is damned if they do, damned if they don't.
DeleteI'm totally with you on this, Andrew.
DeleteI don't buy for a minute that this is a stunt - Sony loses out big time. And putting it online for free does nothing for their bottom line.
What really bothers me about this (Sony being hacked), is that not one studio or studio head had the balls to speak up. Rather than speak up and show solidarity (at least publicly), they kept quiet, knowing it could have been their studio this happened to.
This hacking has devastated Sony - it goes much deeper than what the public knows. I mentioned last week that my friend works there - he told me a week or two before it became public, that they had been hacked, and it was very bad. His personal information was stolen (SSN, home address, passwords, banking and health info), along with other employees.
Again, I don't buy for a minute that Sony is behind this. Any way you look at it, they lose.
How does it go? You can make more money on a flop than a hit?
ReplyDeleteFirst of all when Sony greenlighted this movie they had to know that this was going to create an issue so they should have been prepared from the get go. Few calls to the CIA, Homeland Security and NSA. Did they even consult them before making this decision because man I am not sure if it wouldn't be the most attended movie on Christmas Day but then if it sucks, then you'll have angry Americans storming Sony.
ReplyDeleteHowever to me, it does set a dangerous precedent - we can destroy the US financially by just sitting at our computers and not even having to leave North Korea. Because those Americans will blink. ISIS are rubbing their blood stained hands as I type this.
I don't believe for one nano second that North Korea is behind the hack. This is an internal problem at Sony. To think that a nation is feeling threatened by a movie scheduled for release because it makes fun of their leader is idiotic. They have bigger fish to fry than releasing bitchy e mails to the media, and positing unreleased movies and music to the internet. But you know we have to have someone to blame other than a disgruntled ex employee or CEO with a vindictive streak, because this is the age of terrorism and nothing gets people to pay attention like a terrorist attack.
ReplyDeleteYou may be right, Audrey, but I don't think the hackers selected specific emails for release to the media. I think they just did a massive data dump with everything they could find, and then the Western media picked out the good stuff.
DeleteAnd while you think a nuclear power would have 'bigger fish to fry', apparently they are extremely sensitive. Google 'London hairdresser' and 'North Korea.'
Do you think that those Korean hackers had some skulduggery with the website redesign of Crazy Days and Nights?
ReplyDeleteNah, the hackers were competent.
Delete@Nutty, hahahah!!!
DeleteDangerous precedent, definitely. I can't believe Sony caved to NORTH KOREA. Who's next, Iceland?
ReplyDeleteIsn't North Korea the country that announces nuclear test rockets (which they don't even have) will be launched, then launches some baby rockets everytime they want to ask for more aid but are too passive aggressive to come right out and ask? And we are cowering to their threat? This sounds like Ben Affleck wants another Oscar for Argo 2.
ReplyDeleteIt's an interesting theory if Sony wanted to intentionally lower it's stock and someone was shorting the stock before the hack knowing about the hack and then wanting to get rid off Amy pascal without consequences. If Sony were looking to pull off a major coup like insiders shorting the stock while intentionally sabotaging it's own management and lighting it's house on fire and selling for a loss.. then blame Canada. .err. blame North Korea. .wouldn't put it past anybody. Who puts out a stupid comedy on Christmas day anyway? ?
ReplyDeleteSony Pictures was well aware this was an ill-advised move but went ahead primarily to please Rogen. Worse yet, the premise isn't even funny. Too bad he wasn't paid solely in gross points; he'd get nothing.
ReplyDeleteThe film was made against the recommendations of Japanese executives in Sony. Sadly, Sony Pictures won't likely be compensated in full by insurance for the loss. I hope the former employees whose personal info was compromised will be compensated as well. After all, Sony was well aware its security measures were sorely lacking.
I meant to write "Sadly, Sony Pictures **will** likely be compensated in full by insurance for the loss." Really changed the meaning of the sentence.
DeleteThis has certainly been a fortuitous event for a film that was certainly a flop waiting to happen.
Everyone here has been so interesting with their opinions and theories.
ReplyDeleteI don't think we should cave in EVER but still not sure NKorea was even behind it. Think it's s dog movie they want to declare a loss. Someone wants to get rid of Amy and hates Rudin. There was a story on him the other day about him being the most hated man in H'wd.
Sure there was some collateral damage but whoever was laid up in that luxury suite in Thailand is going to get exactly what they want. Touché!
I agree with bits and pieces of a lot above but still struggling to put my thoughts in to words but I know it starts with...
ReplyDelete"I cannot believe this movie got greenlit in the first place!!!" I saw the trailer before this whole mess blew up and and was just like "omg...you cannot be serious"
Why poke a viper with a stick...even if it is half dead?
"You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it's an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before."
ReplyDeleteMake any money off of this movie is an opportunity that can only come from a "serious crisis".
Bravo, Sony, for pulling this one off. It was a good one...getting us to think that NK is behind it all. If there was any money to be made, this is the one way to make it. Nice publicity stunt.
Still with you, Bacon, on the PR stunt train. Franco is a pretentious twat and I wouldn't put it past him to set this up that way. In N Korea, even saying something Kimmie Jon isn't a good leader is a death sentence. A woman was put to death in N Korea for the vile sin of watching an uncensored Hollywood movie.
ReplyDeleteSony... well, you reap what you sow. If your corporate background includes trashing the very bankable celebrities who are feeding your beast, it makes sense the beast will bite you in the butt.
Newest released emails reported. Rudin says Jolie is "seriously out of her mind". Story here
ReplyDeleteNice link, @Karen W!
DeletePascal: "Well she was amazing with a perm in that Jewish movie about Daniel pearl."
Rudin responding to Angie when she said Fincher may be difficult but he's brilliant: "May be difficult? Like Hitler may be anti-Semetic?!!!"
Jolie was professional in the exchanges. She said she was studying films and Rudin acted like a snotty Mean Girl. "She's studying films? Kill me now!" Very professional.
Does one ever get the feeling that maybe at some point she "shot him down". Wouldn't surprise me in least.
DeleteI'm still on the fence on my feelings for them scrapping the film, but I do agree with Andrew and SeaHag on the "damned if you do, damned if you don't" idea. Sony was screwed regardless.
ReplyDeleteFrom an insurance perspective, I do wonder if this would classify as an act of terrorism. Most commercial policies for projects of this magnitude are done through a market like Lloyd's of London, who is financially capable of handing an enormous claim. Those carriers also make coverage for terrorism a separate endorsement/policy. I'm positive all parties involved would have the coverage, but I just wonder if this falls into that category. A post-9/11 insurance world is full of loopholes and exclusions.
I think the film would have bombed regardless. Those two just aren't funny; the plot of the movie doesn't sound funny, either. It actually just sounds like a really bad idea that someone with a big name managed to get produced.
I totally believe North Korea was behind this. although I don't know where they get their indignation from - I've seen movie clips from North Korea showing the United States being blown to bits with North Korean nuclear warheads so they're no angels.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I don't think Sony had a choice - in legal terms, they're on notice that injury/murder could occur due to the showing of this movie. A personal injury attorney would have a field day with the lawsuit and Sony's insurance company would be out of luck. It was indeed "damned if you do, damned if you don't".
And I'm REALLY tired of all these celebrities moaning about how Sony shouldn't have pulled the movie. Would they have come out on Christmas and gone to see this movie? Taken their families? Would you or they even want to see another movie in the same movie complex? Hell no! I understand their complaints, but they're just not realistic.
Personally, I think the USA should hack into North Korea and bring their infrastructure out, including their missile technology - it's all done with computers - should be a relatively easy task for our guys. Collapse their military computers, maybe their electricity (I feel sorry for the Korean citizens but too bad) and show them there are consequences for their actions.
If it was North Korea, hypothetically speaking, wouldn't we expect the American government to act? I mean they are threatening terrorist attacks on U.S. soil. Where are the threats to take them out? Where's the ball grab and the dick wag that usually acompany terrorist threats? And most of all, why haven't we sent our North Korea peace ambassador Dennis Rodman over?
ReplyDeleteKyrs- rodman, lol
DeleteWhichever one of you was the one who put Sandy's private uncropped photo in the reader pics could probably hack North Korea back and shut down any threat they were about to push play on.
ReplyDeleteThe movie should never have been greenlighted. If the Japanese owners of Sony were against it shouldn't their people in the US have paid attention? The premise of this seems like something Rogen and his pals thought up one night after a few drinks. It's a frat boy premise that backfired. I feel for the people who are suffering because their personal information was made public.
ReplyDelete