North Korea was supposed to be the location for Steve Carell’s newest project. However, in light of the massive scandal that has erupted in the wake of the Guardians of Peace and their well publicized attack on Sony Pictures, New Regency and Fox have dropped their latest project that would have featured the embattled North Korean state. This is rather ironic considering that this untitled film, which was to be directed by Gore Verbinski, was described as a ‘paranoid thriller.’ However, one cannot fault Fox Pictures and New Regency for erring on the side of caution in light of the Sony Pictures hack.
North Korea now has Hollywood running scared? Yep, in a very strange turn of events (which is worthy of a film script) the Sony Pictures attack and subsequent leak of information has film studios, theaters, and stars alike treading gently when it comes to the subject of North Korea and their undoubtedly giddy leader, Kim Jong Un. Sony Pictures was placed squarely in North Korea’s crosshairs because of their new film called, The Interview. Seth Rogan and James Franco play two journalists who are eventually tapped by the CIA to try and assassinate Kim Jong Un when the two are granted a rare interview request with the reclusive North Korean leader. A group with North Korean ties called the Guardians of Peace (or the GOP) claimed responsibility and said that the Sony hack was in retaliation for “terrible racial discrimination.” Observers of this frankly strange situation cannot deny the extent of damage caused by North Korea’s anger with Sony. This hack has seen the release of everything from confidential employee information, leaks of unreleased and recently released full length films, and perhaps most notably (and embarrassingly), internal email exchanges. These email exchanges have been quite devastating and have provided a huge amount of fodder for hollywood gossip hounds.
With such an embarrassing and damaging leak, the ramifications of which are still becoming apparent, you can’t really blame other studios for not wanting to poke the North Korean bear. This entire situation shows just how the playing field can be leveled through technology. It is incredible to see how a battered state like North Korea can exert so much power and influence over enormous multinational organizations like Sony and Fox Pictures. Do you think the desire to avoid this type of attack in the future could be a whole new kind of censorship in Hollywood? Or do you think that this North Korean hack was just a one time deal?