LOS ANGELES (AP) – Sony’s decision to cancel “The Interview” in the face of terrorist threats is already affecting the way Hollywood does business, and it’s killing artists’ faith in studios to release envelope-pushing content.
Gore Verbinski said Fox pulled out of plans to support his North Korea-set thriller, and theaters that planned to screen 2004’s “Team America: World Police” in place of “The Interview” announced Thursday those showings had been canceled.
Actors, filmmakers, politicians and pundits roundly denounced Sony’s decision to nix “The Interview,” which the studio did Wednesday in response to theater owners’ refusal to show the Christmas release in light of threats invoking 9/11. The comedy stars Seth Rogen and James Franco as journalists tasked by the CIA with killing Kim Jong Un. The film shows the North Korean leader dying in a fiery explosion.
“Sad day for creative expression,” Steve Carell tweeted.
Artists could increasingly turn to the web as a way to distribute content without studio interference, amplifying a challenge the industry is already facing with audiences consuming more entertainment at home. Lizz Winstead, a creator of “The Daily Show,” suggested the creative community may have to go even further.