# Theater chains cancelling "The Interview" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 17, 2014, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522 "2014-12-17T21:04:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![magnusblitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@magnusblitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magnusblitz)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/81 "2014-12-18T20:13:15Z")
> [@Sam\_Lowry](#): > > I read somewhere a theory though that if they pull it completely and don’t release it, that maybe insurance will pay out, so the studio wouldn’t lose any money over this. As opposed to if they put it in theaters or do a VOD release where it might make money or it might lose it. That makes sense to me, so I wouldn’t be too surprised if it’s never officially released. Yeah, I heard some guys on the radio discussing this - not sure if it was a theory or an actual hard thing they had cites for, but they were saying that apparently the insurance only covers ‘total loss’, and releasing it on VOD or something would turn it into a ‘partial loss’ which isn’t covered. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/82 "2014-12-18T20:16:59Z")
> **[Sony: No VOD Release for ‘The Interview’](https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/sony-no-vod-release-interview-759094/)** > > "Sony Pictures has no further release plans for the film," Sony said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter > [@](#): > > After canceling the Christmas Day release of The Interview, Sony has clarified that there is no further release plans, including a theatrical release at a later date or a VOD launch. > > “Sony Pictures has no further release plans for the film,” Sony said in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/83 "2014-12-18T20:21:48Z")
> [@Sam\_Lowry](#): > > I read somewhere a theory though that if they pull it completely and don’t release it, that maybe insurance will pay out, so the studio wouldn’t lose any money over this. As opposed to if they put it in theaters or do a VOD release where it might make money or it might lose it. That makes sense to me, so I wouldn’t be too surprised if it’s never officially released. I thought that movie insurance was generally in the form of “completion insurance”, so that if some catastrophe befell the project they were insured for money already spent? I could be totally wrong on this. But it would be surprising if an insurance company would pay out simply because Sony voluntarily elected not to release. > [@QuickSilver](#): > > What’s the point of releasing a film if national theater chains refuse to play it? They could probably make a decent profit with a direct-to-video release plus VOD and pay-TV movie channels. I doubt that this piece of dreck cost much to make! ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/84 "2014-12-18T20:23:15Z")
> [@magnusblitz](#): > > Yeah, I heard some guys on the radio discussing this - not sure if it was a theory or an actual hard thing they had cites for, but they were saying that apparently the insurance only covers ‘total loss’, and releasing it on VOD or something would turn it into a ‘partial loss’ which isn’t covered. That’s all very well, but surely it’s a one-time resort. Would insurers even cover studios anymore (at any price), now that we know that anonymous persons have the power to dictate studio output? (Not so much because of the hacking, but because of the threats of “9-11-style violence.”) There won’t even _be_ such a thing as insurance in the entertainment industry from this time forward. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/85 "2014-12-18T20:26:12Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > The medium is to never make a film like > > The Naked Gun > Hot Shots > Team America > > again? > > Nor run any story lines about North Korea such as appeared on 30 Rock? > > Never parody a dictator again such as seen a billion times over the last 45 years? > > That’s some medium. > > Btw…hadn’t North Korea ALREADY made threats about the film ages ago? Yeah, there have been movies that have parodied dictators before. According to Wikipedia, [Naked Gun](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Naked_Gun:_From_the_Files_of_Police_Squad!) “begins in Beirut where a gang of anti-American leaders including Ayatollah Khomeini, Mikhail Gorbachev, Yasser Arafat, Muammar Gaddafi, Fidel Castro, and Idi Amin, as well as a man named Pahpshmir, meet to plan the ultimate terrorist act against the United States.” In [Hot Shots Part Deux](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_Shots!_Part_Deux), Saddam Hussein was crushed by a piano. In [South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Park_Bigger,_Longer,_And_Uncut), Saddam Hussein was Satan’s gay lover. In [Team America: World Police](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Team_america_world_police), “Kim Jong-il kills Alec Baldwin with an assault rifle, and then is kicked over a balcony by Lisa. He is impaled on a Pickelhaube and is revealed to be an alien cockroach from the planet Gyron.” When all of those films were released, the real life dictators were still in power. There are also dramatic movies that are released that are about current repressive governments. [Rosewater](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosewater_(film)) is a recent one, and I’m sure more film knowledgeable people can think of others. I don’t know what makes The Interview more stupid to release than the other movies that feature current foreign leaders. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/86 "2014-12-18T20:29:26Z")
[Cowardice is contagious](http://gizmodo.com/movie-theaters-cant-even-show-team-america-now-because-1672828807): > [@](#): > > In the wake of Sony Pictures canceling its release of The Interview, some theaters with actual balls opted to show Team America: World Police as a protest. No such luck. In a truly staggering act of cowardice, Paramount appears to be telling theaters to shut it all down. What the fuck. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/87 "2014-12-18T20:30:15Z")
> **[Paramount Cancels ‘Team America’ Showings, Theaters Say](https://deadline.com/2014/12/paramount-cancel-team-america-1201329597/#)** > > Forget those plans by Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and other theaters to run Team America: World Police in place of The Interview. The Austin-based chain says that Paramount has now decided not to offer South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt... > [@](#): > > Forget those plans by Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and other theaters to run Team America: World Police in place of The Interview. The Austin-based chain says that Paramount has now decided not to offer South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s 2004 satire that focuses on Kim Jong-il, the late father of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. > > Alamo says that the cancellation at its Dallas theater is “due to circumstances beyond our control” and says it will offer refunds to those who have already bought tickets. Cleveland’s Capitol Theater also tweeted that Team America “has been canceled by Paramount Pictures.” ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/88 "2014-12-18T20:33:25Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > I thought that movie insurance was generally in the form of “completion insurance”, so that if some catastrophe befell the project they were insured for money already spent? I could be totally wrong on this. But it would be surprising if an insurance company would pay out simply because Sony voluntarily elected not to release. > > They could probably make a decent profit with a direct-to-video release plus VOD and pay-TV movie channels. I doubt that this piece of dreck cost much to make! I’m not at all an expert on insurance stuff, and it’s probably something for the insurance company and lawyers to argue about. They can argue that they aren’t voluntarily electing to release because they think it won’t do well, but because of a legitimate threat, and because of the safety of the audience. Also, because of the leak, [we know a lot of detail about the budget](http://fusion.net/story/31465/here-are-the-best-parts-of-the-leaked-budget-for-the-interview-north-koreas-least-favorite-movie/), which was $44 million overall. I’m not sure how much VOD usually makes, or how much the studio would get from HBO or whatever movie channels, so I wouldn’t be able to guess if they’d make their money back that way. ---
**Author:** ![Penfeather](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penfeather/32/384_2.png) [@Penfeather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Penfeather)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/89 "2014-12-18T20:44:32Z")
Eh. It’s just the _realpolitik_ of the playground: if you taunt the fat weird kid because you think you can get away with it, you don’t get to complain “but it was only a joke!” when he shits in your gym bag. ---
**Author:** ![justmeetee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/898d66/32.png) [@justmeetee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justmeetee)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/90 "2014-12-18T20:53:12Z")
Damn. The bad guys are winning. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/91 "2014-12-18T20:56:33Z")
From the article linked in the OP: > [@](#): > > “We are deeply saddened at this brazen effort to suppress the distribution of a movie, and in the process do damage to our company, our employees, and the American public,” read the statement. This would be a lot more convincing if it weren’t coming from the people who were brazenly suppressing the distribution of the movie. Because let’s get this straight: North Korea didn’t stop this movie. Sony did. And no, I don’t expect movie companies to be Big Damn Heroes. But I do expect them to make and release movies. That’s kind of their reason for existing. Whether this movie was going to be any good or not is irrelevant: Sony has just conclusively demonstrated that they have no reason to exist. ---
**Author:** ![wolfpup](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolfpup/32/10618_2.png) [@wolfpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfpup)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/92 "2014-12-18T20:58:31Z")
I must admit I’m surprised at the cost, and at the fact that Rogen and Franco together pulled in a total of $15 million just for their own salaries. All I can say right now is that this is NOT something I’d want to have a financial stake in! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/93 "2014-12-18T21:08:31Z")
On the other hand what percent of revenues come from theaters anymore? I thought the bigger reason now to do theaters was for the publicity/reviews… And this movie already has a lot of publicity. ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/94 "2014-12-18T21:15:51Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > On the other hand what percent of revenues come from theaters anymore? I thought the bigger reason now to do theaters was for the publicity/reviews… And this movie already has a lot of publicity. I was under the impression that the distributor takes most of the box office from the theatre and the theatres themselves make next to nothing and rely on concession sales and pre-movie advertising to make their money. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/95 "2014-12-18T21:18:19Z")
> [@Sam\_Lowry](#): > > I’m not at all an expert on insurance stuff, and it’s probably something for the insurance company and lawyers to argue about. They can argue that they aren’t voluntarily electing to release because they think it won’t do well, but because of a legitimate threat, and because of the safety of the audience. > > Also, because of the leak, [we know a lot of detail about the budget](http://fusion.net/story/31465/here-are-the-best-parts-of-the-leaked-budget-for-the-interview-north-koreas-least-favorite-movie/), which was $44 million overall. I’m not sure how much VOD usually makes, or how much the studio would get from HBO or whatever movie channels, so I wouldn’t be able to guess if they’d make their money back that way. There’s also the question of whether they can claim a total loss if they decline to make a best-effort to mitigate the loss with a VOD/DVD-only release. It would be like filing an total-loss insurance claim for a flooded warehouse even though a large percentage of the stored goods consisted of something (e.g. aluminum ingots) not at all susceptible to water damage. ---
**Author:** ![2ManyTacos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/2/3da27b/32.png) [@2ManyTacos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/2ManyTacos)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/96 "2014-12-18T21:18:25Z")
Damn, I don’t have much to add, but reading through that budget breakdown is crazy. Gives you a nice peek into the huge bundles of cash that Hollywood throws at movies. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/97 "2014-12-18T21:19:41Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > And no, I don’t expect movie companies to be Big Damn Heroes. But I do expect them to make and release movies. That’s kind of their reason for existing. Whether this movie was going to be any good or not is irrelevant: Sony has just conclusively demonstrated that they have no reason to exist. Oh, nonsense. First, Sony is in the business of making money (or if you’re talking Sony Pictures Classics, buying cool films and burying them in January/February). And second, for goodness sake, Sony didn’t even MAKE “The Interview”, Columbia Pictures did - Sony was just distributing for Columbia. And all the theaters were saying no. Which didn’t leave much income, did it? In fact, tell ya what - there are plenty of other distributors who have the chance to be brave, unless behind the scenes Columbia (from whom I’ve read no comments) isn’t willing to shop it. Here’s something else funny: [“The Interview” New York Premiere Canceled as Rival Studios Push Sony to Pull Release](http://www.cnbc.com/id/102276780#). > [@](#): > > Sony reportedly told exhibitors it will proceed with plans to distribute the film, but some major Hollywood studios are maneuvering behind the scenes to elbow “The Interview” out of theaters, according to people familiar with the situation. > > The other studios are concerned that hackers’ threats might cause audiences to stay home during the Christmas break, a time when movie-goers typically flock to theaters, the sources said. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/98 "2014-12-18T21:21:51Z")
> [@2ManyTacos](#): > > Damn, I don’t have much to add, but reading through that budget breakdown is crazy. Gives you a nice peek into the huge bundles of cash that Hollywood throws at movies. Given the sort of chicanery that goes on with Hollywood accounting under normal circumstances, it ought to be highly entertaining to watch if this goes to an insurance claim. Bonus points if more leaked documents come out indicating a total cost far less than Sony’s loss claim. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/99 "2014-12-18T21:24:37Z")
> [@Wile\_E](#): > > By the way, the threats may be idle but all it takes is one crazypants person to decide to take out a theater of people (it’s happened before), would you want to die for seeing a probably very stupid Seth Rogen/James Franco movie? I agree with **Wile E**. Every movie, every book, every piece of art that might offend someone anywhere in the world needs to be destroyed because you know, it only takes one crazypants. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2014, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/100 "2014-12-18T21:32:48Z")
Sony has raised the white flag and kissed Kim Jong-un’s fat ass. They don’t even have the guts to release the movie on digital. Freedom of expression took a major hit and the thugs won. I bet Sony buries this film forever. It will never be seen. [http://money.cnn.com/2014/12/17/media/sony-the-interview-video-on-demand/](http://money.cnn.com/2014/12/17/media/sony-the-interview-video-on-demand/) > [@](#): > > “Sony Pictures has no further release plans for the film,” a studio spokesperson said in response to questions about digital distribution. > > It’s understandable why the digital possibilities were considered. Sony could have pursued streaming services like Netflix (NFLX, Tech30) and video-on-demand cable services like the one operated by Comcast (CCV). > > “Sony should fight fire with fire: Make ‘The Interview’ available online, for free, on every pirate site in the world. In HD,” said Digital Disrupton author James McQuivey in a tweet to CNN’s Brian Stelter. > > Plenty of studios release straight to streaming and pay-TV all the time, but usually with smaller, low-budget films. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522.md?page=6)