Wolverine - win a free ticket to jail

timlitton

With approaching opening of Wolverine on May 1st, the Internet is buzzing about a DVD-quality work print of Wolverine being leaked online yesterday. Twentieth Century Fox stresses it's an old rough cut without FX, music, etc.

Fox executives are describing it as one of the worst piracy scandals they can recall, since it involves a major studio and major movie.

This is a statement by 20th Century Fox:

"Last night, a stolen, incomplete and early version of X-Men Origins: Wolverine was posted illegally on a website. It was without many effects, had missing and unedited scenes and temporary sound and music. We immediately contacted the appropriate legal authorities and had it removed. We forensically mark our content so we can identify sources that make it available or download it. The source of the initial leak and any subsequent postings will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law – the courts have handed down significant criminal sentences for such acts in the past. The FBI and the MPAA also are actively investigating this crime. We are encouraged by the support of fansites condemning this illegal posting and pointing out that such theft undermines the enormous efforts of the filmmakers and actors, and above all, hurts the fans of the film."

Personally, this is one I'd rather see in all of it's big screen glory. But it shines a light on the problems major studios are facing in today's internet world.

timlitton

Lasareath wrote: »

Yeah Hi!

Blah, Blah BLAH!!!

Well good morning to you Lasareath.

I think you assumed I was warning down-loaders.

I wasn't. I was pointing out that somebody's in deep trouble at the studio level. I'm glad I'm not the guy who leaked it right now.

AsSiMiLaTeD

got a link to the source article on that?

timlitton

Sure. I first read it here:

http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/and-it-makes-you-age-20-years-overnight/

It's also ccovered here:
http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/Movies/story?id=7240197&page=1
http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-10211136-93.html

bobman1235

It's a copy and pasted statement by 20th Century Fox. The "We" in question is the corporation.

timlitton

Lasareath wrote: »

They Should have just kept quiet about the leak, Now there's gonna be more people looking for the download.

ABC asks "Will 'Wolverine' Leak Prove Fatal to Film?"

I don't think so, the people who download movies has to be only a few percent. And most likely half of those people are still going to see it in the Movies and/or buy the DVD & BR when they come out.

I agree. I think the quality of the Hulk is what hurt box office sales more than a few thousand people watching a leaked Xvid copy at home. If the movie had been a masterpiece it would have had a few thousand advocates generating pre-release hype ranting how good it was.

obieone

Sorry, but I call BS! This smells of a 'marketing' story, more than a pirating one.
Remember 'Snakes' and how everyone said it was great online, then tanked when it came out? Then there was Cartoon networks 'whoops' campaign up in Boston.
Yes, I'm a cynic, but I belive this to be another way to get some free 'buzz'.

JMO.

Face

It's supposedly all over the news groups, there's not stopping it now.

Ron-P

This movie looks so bad I wouldn't even want to see it for free.

Pauly

I watched it and liked it even with missing effects and CGI and im still going to pay to go see it in the theatre only cuz i love X-Men.

Pauly

timlitton

Fox News just canned a columnist who reviewed the leaked Wolverine movie currently floating around the internet. Fox Entertainment columnist Roger Friedman described that finding and downloading the pirated flick was "so much easier than going out in the rain" and went on to say that it "exceeds expectations at every turn."

Apparently the positive review was overshadowed by the fact that Fox News is a part of Wolverine's parent company, 20th Century Fox whom takes the review as an endorsement of theft.

Ouch. It's the flick that keeps on giving.