ABOVE: Marianne Dimain reports on how Hollywood stars reacted to Sony’s decision to cancel The Interview release
TORONTO — The decision by Sony Pictures to cancel the Christmas Day release of The Interview sparked a furor on social media — not necessarily because people were anxious to see the movie but because they fear the studio has set a dangerous precedent.
Co-written and co-directed by Vancouver natives Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, The Interview was filmed in and around Vancouver. But, the Canadian-made comedy about an assassination plot against the leader of North Korea made the U.S. — and specifically Sony Pictures — targets of hackers and threats of terrorism.
On Wednesday, when movie theatre chains, including Canada’s Cineplex, announced they were pulling the movie from their schedules, Sony Pictures pulled the plug.
“No bulls*** though, this is seriously f**ked,” tweeted comic Amy Schumer, “and it’s such a sad day for free speech. Frightening.”
Rogen and co-star James Franco have yet to share their thoughts on Twitter.
At the world premiere of The Interview last week, Rogen praised Sony Pictures for backing the controversial comedy.
Screenwriter and author Seth Grahame-Smith joked Sony’s decision “can’t be good” for his Brokeback Putin script.
He sarcastically called on movie theatres to cancel screenings of Furious 7 (“I object to the encouragement of unsafe driving”), Avengers: Age of Ultron (“I object to the violent images”) and Fifty Shades of Grey (“I object to the graphic sex”).
BELOW: Sony Pictures cancels the release of The Interview.
Former politicians also weighed in. Mitt Romney urged Sony to make The Interview available online and ask viewers to donate $5 to the fight against Ebola.
Newt Gingrich tweeted: “America has lost its first cyberwar. This is a very very dangerous precedent.”
Producer and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin said in a statement: “Today the U.S. succumbed to an unprecedented attack on our most cherished, bedrock principle of free speech by a group of North Korean terrorists who threatened to kill moviegoers in order to stop the release of a movie.
“The wishes of the terrorists were fulfilled in part by easily distracted members of the American press who chose gossip and schadenfreude-fueled reporting over a story with immeasurable consequences for the public — a story that was developing right in front of their eyes. My deepest sympathies go out to Sony Pictures, Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg and everyone who worked on The Interview.”
Sorkin’s Hollywood peers seemed to agree, taking to social media to share their thoughts.
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