Sony Pictures canceled the Dec. 25 release of "The Interview" on Wednesday after hackers threatened a Sept. 11-style attack on movie theaters, causing the largest chains in North America to pull the film from their screens.
In a statement Wednesday, Sony said it was canceling "The Interview" release "in light of the decision by the majority of our exhibitors not to show the film."
"We are deeply saddened at this brazen effort to suppress the distribution of a movie, and in the process do damage to our company, our employees, and the American public. We stand by our filmmakers and their right to free expression and are extremely disappointed by this outcome," Sony said, echoing pretty much everyone who took to Twitter to express their disappointment.
I think it is disgraceful that these theaters are not showing The Interview. Will they pull any movie that gets an anonymous threat now?— Judd Apatow (@JuddApatow) December 17, 2014
Kim Jong-Un took away our god-given right to watch what is very likely the most horrible movie of 2014 on Christmas Day. #NeverForget— Brooklyn Middleton (@BklynMiddleton) December 17, 2014
I'm going to do a shot for shot remake of "The Interview" and I'll actually release it. I'll take Seth's role; who wants to be Franco?— Richard Roeper (@richardroeper) December 17, 2014
No one should kid themselves. With the Sony collapse America has lost its first cyberwar. This is a very very dangerous precedent.— Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) December 17, 2014
America will NEVER give in to the demands of terrorists! (unless they don't like our movies in which case we will fold like a beach chair.)— Danny Züker (@DannyZuker) December 17, 2014
Saw @Sethrogen at JFK. Both of us have never seen or heard of anything like this. Hollywood has done Neville Chamberlain proud today.— Rob Lowe (@RobLowe) December 17, 2014
KIM KONG UN IS A CRIMINAL AND WE CANNOT LET THEM WIN!!!! EXERCISE YOUR RIGHTS AS FREE PEOPLE AND GET THEATRES TO PLAY #TheInterview!— Lucas Till (@lucastill) December 17, 2014
Dear Sony Hackers: now that u run Hollywood, I'd also like less romantic comedies, fewer Michael Bay movies and no more Transformers.— Michael Moore (@MMFlint) December 17, 2014
THE INTERVIEW is now poised to shatter the world record for "spite viewings."— Patton Oswalt (@pattonoswalt) December 17, 2014
So SONY fight back by canceling The Interview, thus proving to the hackers that hacking & threats work very well? That may prove an error.— Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) December 17, 2014
Wow. Everyone caved. The hackers won. An utter and complete victory for them. Wow.— Rob Lowe (@RobLowe) December 17, 2014
.@RobLowe it wasn't the hackers who won, it was the terrorists and almost certainly the North Korean dictatorship, this was an act of war— Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) December 17, 2014
.@SonyPictures don’t cave, fight: release @TheInterview free online globally. Ask viewers for voluntary $5 contribution to fight #Ebola.— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) December 18, 2014