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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."
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Wolverine Film Leaked a Month Before Release

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  • Damn I wanted a copy of it and to be honest I will still see it in theatres. Shame this leaked though.
    • by Anonymous Coward on Thursday April 02, 2009 @09:51AM (#27430307)

      Yep, you missed it.

      For the first and only time, something that has "leaked" to the internet has been completely and utterly removed from it. You need to be quicker next time.

    • Re:I missed it? (Score:5, Informative)

      by orkim ( 238312 ) on Thursday April 02, 2009 @09:55AM (#27430377)

      Then grab a torrent, such as:

      http://thepiratebay.org/torrent/4816113/X-Men.Origins.Wolverine.2009.WORKPRiNT.XviD-NoRar

      • by cliffski ( 65094 ) on Thursday April 02, 2009 @11:05AM (#27431669) Homepage

        So has this site given up all pretence of being 'news for nerds' and become a side-project for the pirate bay now?

        Every story concerning piracy takes the pirates POV, every criticism of thepiratebay is brushed aside, and now top stories are new hollywood movies, complete with +5 modded links to copyrighted material.

        I thought bit-torrent was only used for free speech and linux distros?

        +5 hyprocrites

    • Damn I wanted a copy of it and to be honest I will still see it in theatres.

      I will never again willingly watch anything in a cinema so long as I live. Poor food, poor seats, poor video quality, and most of all poor company. The only advantage cinemas still retain over my living room is their sound systems, and frankly it's not worth the bother. I will wait for the Blu-Ray of any new film. It costs about as much as trip to the cinema anyway.

      And if the studio refuses to release in my region simultaneously with others, I'll download the film. Tough luck guys. I had the money in my hand, ready to give it to you, but you gave me the finger instead. So guess what I'm giving you.

      • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

        by Spazztastic ( 814296 )

        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 a

      • by simonbas ( 1319225 ) on Thursday April 02, 2009 @11:01AM (#27431625)

        We should all go see it in theaters so we would have proof that piracy encourages revenue.

        • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

          by gknoy ( 899301 )

          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...

      • Re:I missed it? (Score:4, Insightful)

        by Spellvexit ( 1039042 ) on Thursday April 02, 2009 @01:30PM (#27434235)
        I find myself going to movie theaters less and less because of the slow changes, all to negative effect:
        • Price: higher
        • Volume: louder (read: deafening)
        • Advertisements: far too many
        • Screens: older

        I could probably live with most of these changes but for the screens. I've been to several different theaters here in San Diego, and I constantly marvel at how poor the picture is. The screens are often too bright with no contrast, or blurry. While sound systems seem to get upgraded every few years on a relentless campaign to deafen moviegoers, the screens and projectors seem oddly neglected. I've seen better film quality in the $1.50 theater in Eugene. There's no quicker way to make me feel swindled than to have to squint at a movie I paid close to $10 to view.

  • by eldavojohn ( 898314 ) * <eldavojohnNO@SPAMgmail.com> on Thursday April 02, 2009 @09:45AM (#27430187) Journal
    Disclaimer: I do not care for (nor own but a couple) manga, comic books or 'graphic novels.'

    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.
    • I've seen this leaked version of the movie and even though the special effects were rather gray :P I found it to be fairly decent, I think I might see it when it comes out just to see how the special effects turned out.

    • by Spazztastic ( 814296 ) <spazztastic@gmai ... inus threevowels> on Thursday April 02, 2009 @09:50AM (#27430295)

      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.

      Do I think that they will use it as a scapegoat, much like Ubisoft did when an unfinished and buggy copy of Assassins Creed leaked [wikipedia.org]? Yes. If their movie doesn't do well in the box office (Well as in higher than their expectations) this will be a perfect excuse for them to use with the media and to investors.

      • But Honestly... (Score:5, Insightful)

        by StDoodle ( 1041630 ) on Thursday April 02, 2009 @09:56AM (#27430393)
        Ok, even if I don't agree, I can at least see the logic between "full movie dl's = less ticket sales." But this is a freaking action movie without completed special effects. Can you honestly tell me there are a significant number of people interested in seeing an action movie, minus special effects, who aren't also the fanboy-types who will see it in theatres?
        • While I can't I'm sure the movie execs will.

        • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

          by Kjella ( 173770 )

          Can you honestly tell me there are a significant number of people interested in seeing an action movie, minus special effects, who aren't also the fanboy-types who will see it in theatres?

          I'm guessing it's more a matter of the same fanboys using up most of their watercooler talk, spreading details of the plot and spoilers over the next two months so that when it arrives they won't attract non-fanboys with the same enthusiasm.

    • Well from previews I can tell you they changed some significant parts (wolverine/sabertooth are brothers in the movie... they were never brothers in the comics).
      What really annoys me

      The film is not due for release until 29 April in the UK and 1 May in the US.

      Why not release it on the same day?

    • Re: (Score:3, Insightful)

      by drinkypoo ( 153816 )

      I think you're reading too much into the disrespect thing. I understand that from an artistic viewpoint you might have a certain idea of how you want your work received, but I think if the viewer receives more joy or whatever emotion from seeing inside the work as it were then it's best if they see it that way. Also you know people are never going to get precisely the experience you want them to, although many may lie within an acceptable range. If you accept that life is in the living, then you should acce

    • I kind of agree with you on art.

      However, I view this as a corporate production by a committee - not a work of art.

      It is no different than the latest "Fry's" add in it's essence.

      I'll wait to see the finished product so the product can produce the appropriate tuned, tested, and approved emotional effects.

    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by Zerth ( 26112 )

      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.

    • by PMuse ( 320639 ) on Thursday April 02, 2009 @10:05AM (#27430535)

      Out of respect for the artistic integrity of the 20th Century Fox corporation? Now, that's funny.

    • If you like the book for its art, check out "Kingdom Come". Hands down, the best artwork I've ever seen in a comic book/graphic novel. Every frame looks like a painting. Good story, too, but the art.... wow.
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kingdom_Come_(comics) [wikipedia.org]

    • You raise good points, but I think there's one thing to keep in mind.
      Legality and everything aside - this is not a DVD rip, this is a workprint.

      Workprints are rare - almost collector's items. You get the chance to see behind the scenes like never before. You see wire shots, greenscreen shots, placeholder CGI, rotated scenes, pre-colour corrected scenes, everything. Things you'd never get to see even on a 'making of' extra disc, etc.

      Honestly, I enjoyed watching the workprint immensely, for the above reasons.

    • by kylemonger ( 686302 ) on Thursday April 02, 2009 @10:24AM (#27430905)
      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 would agree with you about most artistic endeavors but not about the sausageworks that is big studio moviemaking. Artistic integrity left that building long ago. I wouldn't be surprised if this were an intentional leak, done to generate more interest in the movie. I didn't even know there was a Wolverine movie being made, but I do now. News = free publicity. And there's no downside. Nobody who wants to see the real movie is going to be satisfied by a work print with missing effects, sound editing and God knows what else.
  • by srussia ( 884021 ) on Thursday April 02, 2009 @09:53AM (#27430337)
    It's the latest wrinkle in the marketer's playbook.
    • Re: (Score:2, Funny)

      by Chris Burke ( 6130 )

      Reverse Streisand? I assume that's like the Reverse Cowgirl, only more horrific?

      (lulz jk I know about the Streisand Effect. That's when she turns into a giant mechanical monster and battles Sidney Portier and Robert Smith)

  • by MosesJones ( 55544 ) on Thursday April 02, 2009 @09:58AM (#27430415) Homepage

    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.

  • 1 month (Score:2, Insightful)

    Isn't March 2nd closer to two months before May 1st?
    • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

      by iainl ( 136759 )

      It's leaked 1 month before release. That unfinished copy was already a month old before it got uploaded.

  • by Jackie_Chan_Fan ( 730745 ) on Thursday April 02, 2009 @09:59AM (#27430449)

    This probably all has to do with being under paid in an industry that makes ass loads of cash for the few at the top, and hardly any at the bottom.

  • by Xest ( 935314 ) on Thursday April 02, 2009 @10:02AM (#27430489)

    It talks about how the FBI has been called like it's a major disaster.

    I can picture it now:

    FBI: Hello FBI?

    MPAA: THE NEW WOLVERINE FILM HAS BEEN LEAKED

    FBI: SHIT, EVERYONE DROP THEIR RAPE CASES, THEIR KIDDIE PORN CASES, THEIR TERRORIST CASES, THE NEW WOLVERINE FILM HAS BEEN LEAKED WE MUST FIND OUT WHO DID THIS

    It's just the way the leak of a film gets more news coverage than more serious stories. It's like it's an international tragedy. I mean seriously, a film with chunks missing, temporary sound, CGI missing and so on. There are companies every day that have their security breached and IP stolen. Why does it get international coverage when it's a half-finished movie?

    The real response from the FBI should be:

    FBI: Here's your case number, take your ticket and get to the back of the queue

    On a side note the BBC also said that Fox has had the download of the new film taken down now - that baffled me a bit, I doubt very much they've managed to get it removed from the whole internet, if they have they're the first company in history to achieve such a thing!

    • by GrayCalx ( 597428 ) on Thursday April 02, 2009 @10:14AM (#27430691)
      Hehe, I like to think it went down like this...

      MPAA: THE NEW WOLVERINE FILM HAS BEEN LEAKED!!!

      FBI: Okay. [Frank, turn that off] We've made a note of it. [seriously... no they're on the phone. yes the mpaa. What? No, they're on the phone right now!] Just one second. [Damn did you see him just rip that guy open... no, no let it play a bit now] Ahem, yes so we're on the case! [I can't wait to see what the effects are going to look like] We will umm, let you know when we find something.
    • Re: (Score:3, Funny)

      by Thanshin ( 1188877 )

      FBI: Hello FBI?

      MPAA: THE NEW WOLVERINE FILM HAS BEEN LEAKED

      FBI: Wrong number. *Hangs up*

      "Shit, there's a leak in project Wolverine. Quick, call agent Manghetto! And put me with the president."
      "Mr. Obama?"
      "No, the real president. Doctor Doomsday!"

    • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

      by ArsonSmith ( 13997 )

      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 can't remember where I heard the joke that "trying to take something off of the internet is like trying to get pee out of a swimming pool".

  • Removed? (Score:5, Informative)

    by prakslash ( 681585 ) on Thursday April 02, 2009 @10:02AM (#27430503)
    This is not an April Fool's joke. This is real AND no one can remove shit like this from the internet.
    The cat is far out of the bag.

    The movie is still available on most major torrent sites.
    IsoHunt [isohunt.com]
    TPB [thepiratebay.org]
    • This is not an April Fool's joke. This is real AND no one can remove shit like this from the internet.
      The cat is far out of the bag.

      Is it alive?

      • Re:Removed? (Score:4, Funny)

        by Whorhay ( 1319089 ) on Thursday April 02, 2009 @11:04AM (#27431657)

        I never understood the phrase to begin with. It's not like once the cat is out of the bag you can't put it back in.

        My wife has two cats that I routinely track down and punish when they've scratched on something they shouldn't or whatever. Cats are not some ephmereal animaal that's impossible to catch or something. It might mean moving furniture or burning down a stand of vegetation, but they are catchable and it's often entertaining to do so.

  • Article Quotes (Score:4, Interesting)

    by furby076 ( 1461805 ) on Thursday April 02, 2009 @10:03AM (#27430525) Homepage

    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: (Score:2, Informative)

      by iainl ( 136759 )

      Re: release date differences, it's only two days. Here in the UK we're getting a Wednesday release because the kids are off school, and it makes the opening weekend number bigger. The US marketing department apparently don't think it's worth doing something other than the usual Friday. It's hardly the biggest difference out there.

      As for Hostel II, surely Roth's problem was more the phenomenally bad reviews prior to release that killed it, rather than some unusually large number of pirate copies?

    • Re: (Score:2, Insightful)

      by rrossman2 ( 844318 )
      "In 2007 director Eli Roth blamed an online leak of his horror film Hostel: Part II for reducing box office returns." Or maybe it had to do with the fact I saw the first one, which wasn't horrible but besides some of the more "entertaining scenes" was a bit.. typical. Did I see the second in theaters? Nope, didn't really appeal too much. Seemed like a cheap follow up to the first one. Maybe it wasn't the leak of the movie that killed box office sales, maybe there were many others out there who, like me, j
    • 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.

      Actually if I buy a DVD I want that DVD to be free of commercials, trailers, of everything but the movie (maybe behind the scenes can stay). Take out all the extra crap. I am paying for the movie. I do not need to see ads or other trailers.

      • Re:Article Quotes (Score:5, Insightful)

        by lewp ( 95638 ) on Thursday April 02, 2009 @10:27AM (#27430947) Journal

        Nothing gets on my nerves more than unskippable DVD chapters. It's bad enough that the stupid MPAA/FBI warning is pretty much always unable to be skipped, but lots of DVDs actually stick commercials and previews at the beginning that you can't skip over either.

        On the other hand, if I pirate the film, I can have it in less than a half hour (less than the time it takes to run to the video store), the movie is never out of stock, I can watch it as many times as I want (making it superior to "on demand"), and all of that annoying crap is removed.

        I only buy a movie on DVD if I really, really like it.

        • Re: (Score:3, Interesting)

          by FatdogHaiku ( 978357 )

          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]

  • by skydude_20 ( 307538 ) on Thursday April 02, 2009 @10:13AM (#27430667) Journal
    my torrent download is screaming fast now
  • by __aanaom1261 ( 1126869 ) on Thursday April 02, 2009 @10:14AM (#27430695)
    I had absolutely no interest in this movie and no plans to see it. The opportunity to see a work in progress is intriguing though, and I would be more inclined to go see the finished movie after watching the work print to compare the two. I'm not necessarily saying it's a good thing that this was leaked, but in my case (and maybe a few others), this might change a "not interested" into a potential customer interested in a peak at the film making process.
  • I watched it (Score:4, Interesting)

    by shellster_dude ( 1261444 ) on Thursday April 02, 2009 @10:18AM (#27430781)
    Since I have an interest in CG and filmography I downloaded the workprint just because I wanted to see how they blended the CG with real effects. I will be seeing the movie in theaters as well.
  • by fulldecent ( 598482 ) on Thursday April 02, 2009 @10:23AM (#27430867) Homepage

    I hate to ruin it for you, but he dies in the end.

  • FBI Resources (Score:5, Insightful)

    by joocemann ( 1273720 ) on Thursday April 02, 2009 @10:25AM (#27430909)

    Its a shame the FBI will spend time and resources to investigate civil crimes such as media piracy --- yet the FBI continuously fails to investigate political corruption, vote fraud, and a number of other seriously criminal acts that happen in the US.

    I am somehow reminded (living in CA where it is illegal) of the local police and highway patrol constantly using their Cell Phones while driving...

    I guess the FBI knows not to bite the dirty hands that feed them.

    • You should get to know your local FBI agents, you will get a better feel for the cases they work. you might change your opinion when you see the variety of different cases they pursue. Join a local chapter of Infragard [infragard.net] so you can become informed. Most interesting are the sessions where they break down a case from beginning to end, explaining how and why they got involved, the course of the investigation, and how they closed the case. FBI Agent even have a pretty good sense of humor believe it or not..

      H
  • by Derosian ( 943622 ) on Thursday April 02, 2009 @10:52AM (#27431457) Homepage Journal
    If the movie is good the positive feedback will bring out more viewers, if the movie sucks then nobody will want to go see it in theaters.

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