'Hackers Won,' Anger Boils over Sony's Retreat
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Suspicions that North Korea was behind a destructive hacking attack against Sony Pictures and a threat against movie theaters has leaders calling for Washington to punish Pyongyang.
The hackers were upset about the film, "The Interview," a farcical comedy about a plot to assasinate North Korean leader Kim Jung Un.
North Korea called it "an act of war" and warned that the United States would face "merciless retaliation," including attacks on movie theaters.
Sony raised the white flag, announcing it will scrap the film.
"We stand by our filmmakers and their right to free expression and are extremely disappointed by this outcome," executives said in a statement.
Brent Lang, with Variety said the decision was understandable.
"It's wonderful to be lofty about ideals but if some tragedy had taken place, then you can make a case that Sony and theater owners would have had blood on their hands," he said.
Not only will the film not be shown in theaters, but it won't be released online or on DVD. The decision has been met with shock and even outrage.
Actor Rob Lowe tweeted, "Wow, everyone caved. The hackers won."
Actress Mia Farrow tweeted, "Sony is a disgrace. Sickening."
Lowell Peterson, with the Writer's Guild said, "I understand the need to be safe to make sure filmgoers are safe. But you can't buckle in just because somebody makes some threats."
Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., said in a statement that Sony's decision sets a troubling precedent that will only empower and embolden states like North Korea.
Steven Kovacs, a cinema professor at San Francisco State University also said it sets a precident.
"Even at the height of the Cold War we weren't worried about depicting the Soviet Union in a bad light," he said.
Some estimate Sony's decision could cost the company more than $100 million. If the United States concludes Pyongyang was behind the Sony hack attack, it might cut that country's access to hard currency and declare it once more as a state sponsor of terrorism.
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