Wolverine Film Leaked a Month Before Release 464
hansamurai writes "The FBI are investigating the leak of an almost finished copy of X-Men Origins: Wolverine a month before the film's cinema release. The movie was reported to have been downloaded several hundred thousand times and has since been 'removed.' Viewers have called the movie incomplete, missing some special effects and music. Fox and the MPAA are still upset, though, but say the copy is forensically marked and can be traced to the leak. The film is due out May 1st in the United States, and the leaked copy is marked March 2nd."
Marvel's "Origin" Series (Score:5, Interesting)
But when I was bored out of my mind one day I picked up the first of a six part series called "Origin" issued by Marvel [wikipedia.org] in 2001.
The story was good (not great) but the art was phenomenal. I am glad they re-worked Wolverine's origin story from whatever they had alluded to before and I recommend you view this series based purely on its art.
I can't find any indication of which story they are basing this film on. I only hope the movie can live up to the beautiful imagery and settings in this series.
I also hold the very unpopular viewpoint that it's basically a slap in the face to an artist to view their work before they're done with it. I also find it laughable that anyone would seek this out aside from people involved in movie production or people interested in this process to study. Do I think it will hurt the movie or cause any amount of financial loss? No, it's merely disrespectful and actually kind of humorous that anyone would ruin the initial exposure of what could amount to a great film.
Marked but they haven't arrested the guy? (Score:5, Interesting)
the copy is forensically marked
Ummm if this was true then it wouldn't be an issue of asking the FBI to investigate it would be a matter of telling the FBI which guy to arrest.
It will be interesting to see how long it takes to secure a conviction in this case and just how truthful the statements on protection are.
Re:Marvel's "Origin" Series (Score:3, Interesting)
The story has common elements, but the details of those elements are very different.
IE, Logan works as a lumberjack and has a vaguely similar traumatic event happen while working there, but it is in a completely different decade and isn't in the same chronological order with other events.
And they kinda screwed up Deadpool.
Article Quotes (Score:4, Interesting)
20th Century Fox confirmed the copy had now been removed
Goodluck with that
The film is not due for release until 29 April in the UK and 1 May in the US.
This just annoys me. Release it on the same date.
"Even if you see the workprint you're still going to have to go see it in the theatre to fully experience the full movie with CGI effects fully intact."
Considering I like action movies on a screen bigger then 48 inches then yes.
According to its website, Rising Sun Pictures is an Australian visual effects company that worked on the film and is currently working on production of Terminator Salvation.
So when can I expect an early release of Terminator salvation?
The Federation Against Copyright Theft said a leak of this kind was extremely unusual as pre-release security had been tightened in recent years.
I had a full dvd rip of LOTR 3 two months before the movie was released to the movie theatres. By full rip I mean the DVD you would buy in stores when the movie was to be released to stores. This is not unusual/uncommon.
We are encouraged by the support of fansites condemning piracy and this illegal posting and pointing out that such theft undermines the enormous efforts of the filmmakers and actors and, above all, hurts fans of the film" the studio said.
Obvioulsy we will condem it, but that won't stop an "estimated several 100,000 times" of downloads from happening.
In 2007 director Eli Roth blamed an online leak of his horror film Hostel: Part II for reducing box office returns.
Yes there will be some people who say "meh i saw an early release so no reason to see it in theatres" There will also be people who want to see the completed version on the BIG screen.
In an interview with MTV he claimed: "You could buy Hostel: Part II for a quarter in Mexico City. As a result, in a lot of countries where the piracy was bad, they just didn't even release it."
This part is a shame...people who are willing to pay 25 cents for the movie because they want to view it but aren't willing to go to the movie theatre or buy it on legit dvd. These movies aren't free to make.
In a change from recent years, the adverts move away from the message that piracy is theft. Audiences will instead see a trailer, fronted by Dr Who actor Noel Clarke, thanking them for paying to come and watch a film.
About time - i would prefer to see someone thanking me when I buy/rent a legit dvd. I understand the need to have the message there, but I have seen it ton of times. I wish they would make it so I could skip over it.
Re:I missed it? (Score:5, Interesting)
The MPAA/FOX may very well have their eyes on those seeder and peer lists.
I'll take anyone's bet to the otherwise. I have absolute confidence that all the peers in that torrent that have a flimsy ISP will get an email in a week.
Re:Marked but they haven't arrested the guy? (Score:5, Interesting)
This might change my mind (Score:5, Interesting)
Re:I loved the BBC article (Score:3, Interesting)
My guess:
HEADLINE: "Code stolen from (unknown company) that calculates (some random data) STOLEN!!!"
doesn't really relate to anyone where:
HEADLINE: "(a movie you probably want to see) has been STOLEN!!!"
Many more people will relate to and understand. News comes down to numbers.
I watched it (Score:4, Interesting)
Re:I missed it? (Score:3, Interesting)
I will never again willingly watch anything in a cinema so long as I live. Poor food, poor seats,
Sad but true. The seating is awful and is almost essential to the overall experience with the movie. My sister was all hyped for me to see The Dark Knight a the Franklin Institute's IMAX claiming it was the greatest. I've never sat in a movie seat that so closely resembled sitting coach in an airline in my life.
The good news is some of the new theaters being built are catching on. I had the pleasure of going to new-ish AMC theater in Paramus, NJ (attached to the mall). It had lots of leg room, great video and sound. Hopefully this will set a trend and the designers will realize that cramming in one extra row and column isn't as important as the repeat customers to a comfortable theater.
Re:I missed it? (Score:2, Interesting)
Re:I missed it? (Score:3, Interesting)
Use Peerguardian 2 if you're that worried. It's like a condom for P2P.
Re:I missed it? (Score:3, Interesting)
They're actually fixing this in a cinema near me - they have a screen that only over-18s can go in, regardless of the film.
You'd be surprised how many morons are filtered out when you do that.
Re:Article Quotes (Score:3, Interesting)
Nothing gets on my nerves more than unskippable DVD chapters.
I don't us it personally, but doesn't DVDShrink take care of that by letting you re author the disk leaving out the parts you don't want? Plus you then use the copy and keep your shiny factory DVD in a safe place where the kids can't trash it...
http://www.dvdshrink.org/why_en.php [dvdshrink.org]
Review!? (Score:2, Interesting)
Ok, how bout a review? Surely someone here has watched it.
You really think so? (Score:3, Interesting)
Here, go read this: War is a Racket, [lexrex.com] by Major General Smedley D. Butler, USMC.
And before you think he's some kind of whacko, know that he is a two time recipient of the Medal of Honor. Here's a quote from him:
"I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents."
That whole liberty and justice thing we're so proud of? That only lasted about fifty years in and was sacrificed to capitalism a long long time ago.
If I'm wrong, then why is this guy who is guilty of a single charge of copyright violation being hunted down by the FBI like a serial killer over some trumped up notion of potential lost profits? Anyone else commits copyright violation and the FBI wouldn't give them more than a raised eyebrow. I'll bet there are a dozen teenagers on my block right now who've done it hundreds of times. And strangely enough, the FBI is not pursuing them.
I mean, when a judge is passing sentence on a murderer, do they take time out to figure out how much money the victim might have contributed during his lifetime before they pass sentence? Of course not. So why the urgency with this guy? Because he pissed off a money making machine, that's why. Capitalism is offended, and we don't allow that no sir! And that's why they're going to absolutely crucify this poor bastard when they catch him.
It's unequal justice, and evidence that our government cares far more for big business (and the tax money it generates) than it cares for us.
Re:I missed it? (Score:3, Interesting)
You've been marked Funny, but that might not be a bad idea. It'd be interesting to see a concrete example: Known movie, leaked, and measurable box office success. Then again, movie beancounters would likely claim that it could have been more...