Sony’s hacking woes continue: Over the holiday weekend a number of the studio’s watermarked awards DVD screeners leaked online, including WWII actioner Fury and the upcoming Annie, Still Alice, and Mr. Turner. The leaks come just days after an online attack crippled the company’s computers. A fifth film, the March 2015 release To Write Love On Her Arms, also surfaced on file-sharing platforms over the Thanksgiving break as Sony emails remained incapacitated across the studio.
Musical remake Annie is the biggest unreleased title in the leak; due in theaters worldwide next month, it opens wide in the U.S. on December 19. Still Alice, the Alzheimer’s drama that’s propelling Julianne Moore into the Oscar race, hits limited screens on December 5. Mike Leigh’s period biopic Mr. Turner is set for a December 19 limited bow.
Unsurprisingly, David Ayer’s Brad Pitt starrer Fury, which opened in October and is still in theaters, is the most popular illegal download of the bunch. It shot to #2 among downloaded films since appearing online on Thursday.
Sony was attacked on Monday by hackers calling themselves the Guardians of Peace who froze computer screens across the company with the message “Hacked by #GOP” and a ticking clock to meet the infiltrators’ demands before sensitive data was released to the world. “The theft of Sony Pictures Entertainment content is a criminal matter, and we are working closely with law enforcement to address it,” said an SPE spokesperson Saturday evening.
While the studio investigates the source of the attack, wild speculation has even veered to hackers upset over the Christmas release of Sony comedy The Interview, in which James Franco and Seth Rogen try to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. The basis for those reports was one unsubstantiated online report that has not been corroborated but picked up as factual. The truth is, the studio can’t yet rule it out because it doesn’t know where the breach came from. For what it’s worth, that film has not leaked online – yet.
Amazing to me they keep the DVD screener files on a server.
Wait. They sent out thousands of DVD screeners of the movie and are then surprised that someone posted it online?
Damn hackers should be forced to watch Annie as punishment.
Seriously. I have zero desire to watch Annie even for free. Nothing will make me. I thought that that movie already came out on DVD without public release. I was even surprised that Cameron Diaz was sort of promoting it on SNL.
Those are nothing compared to what will come before the Oscars. All you’ll see is leak by leak.
It happens every year. Nothing new.
I watched the pirated “Annie.” What a horrible movie. It’s an ill-advised and most unnecessary reboot. I can understand Cameron Diaz needing the paycheck, but Jamie Foxx is far too good to be in this vehicle. The hip hop Orphan Annie will bomb at the box office.
You know Diaz is still one of the highest paid actresses in Hollywood? She’s even better paid than you man Jamie Foxx. And trust me, “Annie” is gonna do great at box office because its core audiences are kids. And those do not download anything. I expect $25-30 million OW.
Why did you watch a pirated movie? Are you an asshole?
+1
Because if I can watch a free movie today from home rather pay $15 for it a month from now at a theater….
Easy decision
this. with two very little kids, who wants to go to a theater? I was wondering how and why fury hit the тояяеит sites early. thanks, prk!! lol
What’d you do after that, stick up a liquor store? Steal from your neighbor?
Do you drink coffee, eat chocolate, or wear jewelry…. What else you got a slave?? Ur argument is flawed
All Academy screeners used to be watermarked for tracking to the recipient. If Sony still marks, they will be easy to trace.
don’t think the leak has anything to do with the hack, dvd screeners for possible films likely to garner awards always appear online round about this time of year
Whoah, Sony hasn’t even released a trailer for Still Alice and now the whole film is leaked ? That’s messed up. I loved the book and can’t wait for the film but I will definitely wait til March 6th (UK). These little quality films need every ticket to prove that we DO want to see films like this…if we sabotage the few hidden gems like Still Alice, we will be left with nothing but sequelsremakesreboots.
I think this whole screener-business is just ridiculous. Why not just go back to the good old days and instead of sending screeners to every OSCAR/BAFTA/BFCA/HFPA/GUILD member, just arrange a lot more screenings and create the perfect opportunity for ALL voters to see these films where they deserve to be seen : in a movie theater. It’s not like something like Life of Pi can come across as beautifully on a television than it does in a movie theater. Frankly, I am disappointed in the voters, especially when I hear something like they didn’t vote for something because they didn’t get screeners OR they got them too late. Do your job, people, it’s not that complicated : WATCH THE FILMS IN MOVIE THEATERS and stop waiting for screeners that ruin the industry and cost millions at the Box Office, just because you can’t be bothered to go watch the films you are supposed to be familiar with AS A VOTER ! What is even more annoying, that with few exceptions, basically all major contenders had been released nationwide long before the voting started so if the dear voters could be bothered to simply go to their local movie theater, screeners wouldn’t be needed in the first place and as for the late entries, it’s simple, arrange A LOT more screenings in the last few weeks of the year so voters could actually have a chance to see these movies WITHOUT receiving a screener OR if the film in question isn’t finished, DON’T RUSH THE POST-PRODUCTION, just push it to next year and allow your creative team to do their best.
Totally agree.
Unfortunately, people flat out refuse to come to screenings. We have had many screenings with the projectionist and a couple of door people. And, that’s after people requested special screenings and were accomodated. Screeners are now currency and no way is anyone giving them up.
The exact reason I’m blaming voters, too. They have the great privilege to vote for FILM awards and apparently they can’t be bothered to make the distinction between FILM and TV : a FILM contender shouldn’t be seen on a TV first, interrupted by the crying baby / hungry dog / work related deadlines / exercise / nosy neighbor etc. . A FILM first should be seen in a cinema, otherwise I don’t see how they could have the CINEMATIC experience most of these films aim for. For example, I doubt voters who watch the screener of Interstellar (and since it is long film, probably with several breaks) will GET what people who could be bothered to go to a movie theater (and PAY for a ticket) actually GOT…and what gives, 99.9% of those people weren’t given the privilege to vote for the biggest FILM awards yet still could spend their hard-earned money on something the voters get for free.
The awards screenings are always in the busiest part of town at the busiest time of year. I’d rather pay to see it in Glendale than make the long trek to the DGA theater during the Christmas season. Once upon a time, guild members could see candidate films in normal public theaters by showing their cards. This was fantastic, and I’m sorry it went away.
Thank You!
I take voting seriously & try to see as many films at screenings or in theaters as I can. However, it’s not always possible, especially when so many films are released in the last month or so. For those of us who are working, evenings (assuming one gets done on time) &/or weekends are the only time & there are only so many days/evenings available (that’s presuming one doesn’t do real-life things too, which also eats up time), especially in Nov/Dec.
And most screenings are in LA or NYC. That doesn’t help if one is on location & depending where you are on location & if the film(s) are in limited or consideration release only, you might not be able see a film at a local theater & they aren’t doing screenings.
So screeners can AUGMENT the seeing films in a theater. Last New Year’s Day I watched 5 screeners in a row on my HDTV, which yes saved me running all over LA & I could watch it on my own schedule.
Part of the problem is AMPAS moving up the timetable because they worried about GG, SAG, BAFTA, etc, awards stealing their thunder. Before you didn’t vote for round 1 until mid-January; now (for example) BAFTA’s round 1 is January 2nd. Hey AMPAS, we don’t need 6 weeks to watch 10 films. We need more time up front to narrow down to the nominees! Moving up Oscar only meant voters have a shorter period of time to see the myriad of films. Since the other orgs moved up their timeframe, it did nothing on the stealing thunder aspect.
So I’m thankful to have the option of theater, screenings – AND screeners. I also take the piracy issue seriously & will not loan out my screeners.
So the hack was a retaliatory act by a group calling themselves “Guardians of Peace,” right? And this is because a Seth Rogan comedy called “The Interview” which WASN’T hacked (interestingly enough) has ticked off the North Korean Prime Minister. Um. Please tell me I’m not the ONLY ONE WHO SEES THROUGH THIS CRAP!!
You’re not the only one :)
It’s the perfect cover ;)
Besides, the world sees what they are told to see.
now the 7 people who were going to see Still Alice can do it from the comfort of their own home
“Hacked by #GOP”, I bet Republicans that hate Hollywood loving this.
Have you ever SEEN these Sony emails? Trust me, this is no loss. Execs are just missing out on the latest finger-pointing, ass-covering and credit stealing. No big loss there.
So sick of hackers targeting Sony. They have single handedly been responsible for probably 80% of all video and music entertainment that I have enjoyed through my life, and some no-job, socially inept moron keeps on making their lives difficult. Get a girlfriend or something you wankers, and start contributing to society instead of these pointless exercises in destructive behaviour.
Completely agree – these hackers are scum – they create nothing but destruction. Pray they are caught and spend many years in jail feeling hacked off.
Then you need better taste in movies or entertainment if Sony alone has contributed about 80% of your artistic enjoyment.
This happens every year. It starts with Academy screeners, and 9 times out of 10 it’s an INTERNAL leak. Who would wanna hack to get THOSE MOVIES!!!
What were they demanding of Sony?Not to release Annie?
they don’t want “the Interview” released as it makes fun of North Korea.
hence the speculation the hackers are either north korean or chinese hacking on North korea’s behalf.
Nobody knows that for sure. At this point it’s all speculation
this is a very unfortunate case. peoples’ livelihoods rely on the making, distribution and viewing of movies. it goes from producers to the guy selling popcorn. do the right thing, teach your kids the right thing: watch the real thing in theatres.
How long will it be before the hackers hit the other 5 studios remaining? And finish off the rest of Hollywood? Then after that the water situation will keep toilets from flushing.
put James Bond on this case immediately!
I watched the pirated copy of Fury today. Will continue to watch pirated movies as long as the studios rip me off at the box office
“Movie guy”, you are a complete idiot and criminal. How in the world are studios ripping you off? You ought to be in jail. I ask that Deadline trace your IP address, and report you to Sony so that you can be prosecuted and sued.
one of the funniest comments I’ve ever read
Actually you’re the one doing the ‘ripping off’. You have a choice. If you want to see a film & feel it’s worth the ticket price, then you can go see it in a theater. If you don’t feel it’s worth the ticket price you can wait to see it when it comes out on dvd or on-demand when the price is less than ticket price. You don’t get to see it right away, but that’s the trade-off for not paying as much to watch it. But by watching the pirated version, you yourself are doing the ripping off/stealing.
Know what you mean;)
Rootkits, Spyware, and other Malware is bad right Sony? Right?
Continually changing licensing terms & conditions every time a customer connects their product to the internet or receives a patch / update is wrong too… You see that now don’t you Sony?
How are people even finding the pirated movies, and on tv there was all those links at the bottom of the threat letter with the skull.
Kim Jong-Un is the leader of an entire country. Let that thought sink in for a moment…. AN ENTIRE FREAKING COUNTRY!!! He’s throwing a tantrum over a Christmas movie starring Seth Rogen and James Franco. And even worse he unleashed “Annie” upon us all. It’s the end!
lol
I enjoyed fury btw ;)