Just in case you had’nt heard, on the eve of April Fools Day a workprint of X-Men Origins: Wolverine found its way to the internet and hundreds of thousands of downloads occurred before 20th Century Fox could stop it. Though at first one might think “So what?” – there’s more at stake than just having a flick run free on the internet prior to its official release date.
When I first saw this, I held back. It was April Fool’s day. But as the hours passed, so did the proof that this was indeed real.
I shook my head in disbelief.
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How Can A Movie Get Leaked?
Does that really matter? There are so many different people that handle a DVD of a movie in post-production before it hits the theaters, it’s amazing we don’t see this more often.
With the number of folk who have access to a post-production version of a movie, when do the necessary additional security measures kick in that studios may have to take? Will those measures cost us, the fan, more in the end?
Sure we might grumble at the studios, but who is really to blame?
Have You Thought About the Little Guy?
I suppose that for some, the idea of seeing a movie before it’s actually released to the public is some sort of thrill (or something). While these folks gloat about having seen a film early (and illegally), I’m sure they don’t think about the impact their cumulative actions have on others.
The “others” are those people who put in 10 to 14 hour days over the course of a couple of years creating a movie. The “others” are also the second tier people who depend on a film to be released for their livelihoods… Movie theater owners/employees, for example.
For all these people, an advance pirate copy that makes it online dilutes the hard work they’ve put into something, and takes away from the “event” status of a big blockbuster release date. A release date that has had many countless hours of effort put towards deciding how to best present the culmination of all that hard work.
As this travesty went viral, Twitter.com was aflame with people stating that the Wolverine movie had found its way to the internet.
Some cheered at the travesty thrust upon Fox. I get where you’re coming from. Fox sure doesn’t have the best track record in how they’ve handled some franchises or other matters. But if you think this through, it’s just not Fox that gets hurt. It’s shameful to ponder the idea that we might really wish harm on a person’s livelihood.
So the buzz lit up big time.
Shortly thereafter folks were out there boasting about having grabbed some popcorn and sitting down to watch their newly stolen digital media.
Yes… I Said Stolen
If you go to the trouble of hunting down what you know is an illegal copy of the film, you knowingly stole it. And don’t tell me you didn’t know. To add insult to thievery, some of you were stupid enough to brag about it on various social networking sites. Good for you! Now at least if Fox and the FBI decide to pursue this legal issue to that level, you’ve made it very easy for them to find you. Even if you didn’t brag about it, you left a digital trail to the torrent files and subsequent activity is clear as day to the packet sniffers.
As it stands, the copy of the film that made its way online did not have the majority of its visual effects complete, had missing scenes and a temporary audio/music track. So I’m sure that made for an AWESOME viewing experience.
Some Actually Posted Reviews
To further implicate yourselves, you then thought you would be super cool and leave your reviews and opinions on what you saw on various bulletin boards and websites. Most website admins removed your misbegotten opinions, choosing instead to take the high road regarding this scenario. Good for them.
Fox stated in a press release on April 1st that the FBI and the MPAA are actively investigating this crime and that:
“The source of the initial leak and any subsequent postings will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Oh yes. This little stunt can lead to some jail time. I have a feeling someone may find themselves with some new best friends fairly soon.
When All Is Said And Done
It seems that it may be pretty easy to track down who did this. Maybe instead of firing him or her, the studio should garnish their wages for all eternity for profits lost.
If you think it really doesn’t hurt studios, think of this: Eli Roth didn’t release Hostel: Part II in Mexico because it was already leaked there and you could buy it for twenty-five cents. What was the point of opening there then?
You think that if you alone “stole” a movie, who would it hurt? It adds up. One of my favorite examples of adding up is an article I wrote about saving electricity. If every light switch wielding person (estimated 211 million – it’s just a ball park for this example) in the U.S. left a light bulb burning in an empty room for only 5 minutes, as a collective, that adds up to around 2,000 years of wasted energy. It all adds up and we can make a difference.
In closing, Fox said this:
“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”
We at Screen Rant will never support this kind of behavior and we will not tolerate anyone posting their own review or experience in the comments.
‘Nuff said?
Source: BBC News
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323 Comments
Mr. Simmons,
It is time for to grow with the world we live in. It is time for you to get off your high horse & take your blinders off. You are making Piracy out to be the end all of all crimes. You act like the leak of this movie is gonna damage the movies financial outcome. Brother, it is not that serious. The movie will still be released, FOX will still make there money, The actors will still get paid, & Film crews will get paid. I look at it as a pre-screening for the internet/movie geeks. Who hangs online all day, looking for early releases of movies. As far as your FBI & FOX collaboration to hunt down the Downloaders. That is a pipe dream my friend. The FBI and the rest of the law enforcement agencies are on Elevated Alert for possible attacks on the U.S. A new & recent threat was made just the other day. I guess I see the FBI & other law enforcement agencies putting everything down to pursue illegal downloaders & video pirates. Yeah Right!!!!!!!!
Plus, we all know that the real thieves are the Studio Companies that steal ideas from other writers. By making there own “Version”. The Studio Companies are also the reason we pay $12-$13 dollars at a movie now. The actors get paid out the wazoo for looking good by just standing there until their stunt double comes in and does all the hard work. So please, spare us the “You are Thief” speech.
P.S. Hostel 2 sucked. It wouldn’t of made the difference if the movie was release in Mexico or not.
So, Balls Mahoney, because things are expensive, then they should get stolen? You’re a pretty big idiot if that’s your train of thought. Oh gee, Porches are expensive… I’ll just steal one. Stealing is wrong no matter if it’s a stick of gum, a pirated movie, or stealing a car. Here’s hoping thieves raid whatever meager minimum wage job you’ve managed to acquire and clean the place out. I’d love to see them walk with the excuse “Hey! The stuff was expensive!”
Could someone also explain to me how video piracy could “Hurts the fans”? Because the last time I checked my feeling were intact.
@Jason
I agree that some actors (and sports figures) are WILDLY overpaid, but that doesn’t justify taking something just because you want it. So you have no problem with shoplifting from WalMart because they’re so big and rich that they can afford it?
What if instead of 100,000 people downloaded an advanced copy of a movie 1,000,000 did instead – do you think that wouldn’t affect the bottom line?
This is Socialist thinking 101. What people can’t seem to grasp is that if there is no PROFIT in something then that “something” will not get made in the first place.
And it hurts movie fans if a movie is not profitable enough to guarantee another related film.
Vic
First of all, if people are gonna throw around the”Thief” word. We should go after the studios with that word. Second, how is it stealing when you never took the item. It is still were it is and that is online. If you are streaming the movie from a website. Then you are not stealing. Time for you my friend to read a couple of law books. Or just read a book.
Vic,
If you think there are a million people waiting to download a movie. Then something is wrong. I doubt very much that the “Bottom Line” will be effected. What is the difference when the show private screenings 4 times a week for two weeks? I know less then 2,000 people would of saw the screening but still a good amount of people just saw the movie for free.
I don’t know if this idea will be effective, but I’m going to throw it out there anyway.
____________What If…?__________________
Let’s say a film was made and the filmmakers wanted a viral version of a test screening of a WIP. Could there be a special free sign up limited to say, 300 people at a fixed time on that film/studio’s website and have it streaming? After watching the film WIP/WP, those 300 people could fill out a poll/question/ leave comments?
You have to be present at the fixed time.
In order to help make sure that the poll questions are answered, there would be, shortly after the film stream, a live Q&A chat session with those connected to the film?
Could an idea like that combat piracy?
Could it be effective?
JASON CHARLES:
“So please, spare us the “You are Thief” speech” – Technically, one is who does this. By the letter of the law.
The little things add up. Hostel was just an available example. Don’t get to focused on the nitty gritty of my examples.
It is the world we live in. It’s sharky and it is what it is. The bigger and better sharks make it to the top. The rest, well, get taken down by the little details.
It all adds up Jason. And notice how I’m not asking you to step down off of whatever platform you are on… because we all have cool opinions to add to this subject.
That’s what this is about! Thanks for coming by!
Darren seeley:
Studios do have “focus groups”. As do many companies to test their products on. I’ve been in a few myself. They’re very interesting to say the least.
Bruce
@Vic – if you have good enough credit a dealership will typically let you try out a car for a day before you buy it. the idea is that you will like the corvette so much after driving it around for a day you will buy it. same thing with me and any leaked movie I’ve ever seen. Episode 3 being leaked saved me from wasting my money on a stinky POS where as American Gangster made me want to go see it in the theaters (which I did). also you make yourself sound really stupid when you said:
“Welcome to the Brave New World, folks. George Orwell was a genius”
Brave New World was written by Aldous Huxley.
Ok, I didn’t see the release (because a special effect oriented movie without special effects seems like a waste of time), but let me tell you something:
When I was a youngster, movies weren’t too expensive…you could afford to go see them.
Time goes by and now for me and my wife to watch a movie is like $30+…which i guess is fine as long as the popcorn is buttery and the movie is good.
But, then to add to the ‘fun’ of the movie theater experience, they show commercials.
Well, now you’ve got movies that cost more than ever before and you have to sit through commercials before you watch the movie. That’s just plain greedy.
As you may or may not know, this is the only example in the history of communication where commercials accompanied a price increase for the media. Newspapers are cheap. Why? Commercials? Magazines and television are also cheap…radio is free…why? Commercials?
But movies cost more than ever AND they have commercials to boot.
I’m sorry, but I can’t feel bad for the industry (and any of its parts) when they take advantage of us like that.
damon
no wonder he takes the side of the movie industry… it’s all about the benjamins baby! just look at the background and that says it all. any site with integrity would not allow the farce known as (the) fast and (the) furious to advertise on their site.
I never heard of this site before it got linked on Digg, but did you seriously justify punishing someone who watched a pirated movie with getting raped in prison.
God help this country.
if five hundred thousand people download this movie instead of going to the theaters and at 12 dollars a ticket that would tally up to 6 million dollars. So instead of grossing 350 million dollars it would get 344 million dollars so the affect on the movies wont be that bad.
Since it hasn’t been pointed out yet, please let me note that people downloading this film fall into one of three categories:
1) Movie nerds. They want to see this unfinished piece *precisely* for its production values, or rather, lack thereof. The kind of people that watch the “making-of” featurettes on their DVDs would go crazy for this kind of thing.
2) Deadpool fanboys. It looks like the studio made a horrible decision to rewrite the character and they want to see what’s been done to him. From the trailer alone this isn’t looking good, but torrenting is so easy it’s an afterthought to download this movie to check.
3) Idiots. Only idiots would download an unfinished product, legal or not, to determine if they’re going to see the real thing. They can either wait for the finished product, and *steal that*, or hit the theaters like good boys and girls. Or decline, after reading reviews published on RT or what have you. You have to be a very special kind of stupid to download something that isn’t done and try to enjoy it as if it were.
Now, to which of the above three groups is your preachy, condescending article directed? Do you honestly think any of these groups are going to be swayed by what you wrote? Here’s a real spoiler: None of them will care, and none of them will be taking money away from the theater they were or were not already going to spend (Group 1 will hit the theaters, Group 2 wouldn’t bother after reading reviews about Deadpool, and Group 3 is having trouble remembering to breathe, let alone navigate to a venue).
I’m just putting my two cents in by saying that both sides have valid viewpoints.Some may agree with downloading while others may not. I’m not one of those people but I will say that sh** happens deal with it
Vic- your one valid argument was
– That one doesn’t work for you? Ok, maybe you’re the same person that goes into Barnes & Noble and sits there all day reading an entire novel to decide whether you want to buy it or not. Nothing wrong with that in your misguided eyes either, I suppose.
The only problem with that, is as a former B&N Employee, that was TOTALLY OKAY with B&N as it helped encourage sales.
And by the way, NOT THEFT
Third times a charm…hopefully.
This sucks! I had comments but lost them when I hit “Post Comment”. DRAT!
It’s hard for me to see soo many people posting that it’s OK to pirate someone else’s work. I suppose Microsoft shouldn’t mind if someone stole Vista and distributed it out to thousands of people. How about the newest “God of War”; the creator won’t mind if his profit margin gets a bit smaller, right? All arguments aside, there is one that we can all agree on: IT’S AGAINST THE LAW!!!
I put off saying this for awhile but…
“How about this one: There’s a hot babe you’ve been eyeing forever that doesn’t want to sleep with you – so maybe it’s OK to slip her a “rufi” and do your thing against her will, right? Sure that’s extreme, but that’s where you knuckleheads are headed. “I want it and I’ll take it no matter what, who cares what you say.””
Vic, I like you a lot and I have enjoyed screenrant since day one, but this comparison is very extreme and crosses the line. To compare bootlegging to rape is fanaticism. I know you are a very passionate movie enthusiast but please choose a better example. You are may more sensible than this! I was stunned to see you write that!
As for the people who downloaded the movie: Why? If a movie theater sucks, that is the fault of management, not FOX. If the other patrons are rude, then their parents suck. That is not FOX’s fault. If the food prices are too high, then don’t buy the food. Most people go to dinner before the movie anyway… Paying $8 – $12 for 90+ minutes of entertainment is almost a bargain. How much would you pay to see a live concert? Tickets for the average concert range from $30 to well over $100 dollars for floor seats. At the movie theater you pay $8-$12 to sit in the back row and you don’t have anybody vomit on you… Hell, I’ve paid $30 to see my Alma Mater play football from the upper deck and we went 2-10 that year…
As for FOX itself, calling the FBI on what amounts to either a) an internal leak or b) an untrustworthy vendor means FOX needs to reevaluate their employees or whom they do business with. Calling in the FBI for an internal matter is too extreme. As for downloading, that is a matter for the RIAA, not the FBI. Something there just doesn’t add up. Let’s asked ourselves: has the FBI made *ANY* statement regarding this? To rule out the possibility of a viral campaign is premature. To say FOX leaked the movie itself is also inconclusive. But who wouldn’t be surprised if an opportunistic suit at FOX thought, “Hey let’s run with this to get free publicity.”
So, IMO, I get the impression that this was leaked by the RIAA to sting baddies. Fox and the RIAA have been kissing cousins for so long it’s not funny. And I am full-heartedly beleiving that this was a generated sting op to find the “big wig” file sharers. That’s why the file was forensically tagged. Not to mention, this coincides PERFECTLY with the EU/Sweden’s IPRED ruling.
On top of it, Fox is hurting in revenue, and they’re dumping lots of money into copyright legislation, why not sting people and make some of that back in “damages.”
youre an idiot, LOTR Two Towers was leaked, looks like that film was really hurt….these people are just whining because they know the film is a one time cheesy action film which people won’t bother seeing after getting a copy online……unless you’d like to watch the bits that werent filled in
As a filmmaker, I certainly hope no one pirates my movies. If I put them up online for free, that’s my choice.
I’ll put it to you like this, what if someone started stealing (pirating) your company’s stuff, and they couldn’t afford to keep you working? Would you still be for it?
What if someone started pirating money from your wallet? Is that okay? Or maybe your bank account? Is that okay, too? I mean, it’s only pirating…
heath
mike you don’t need to be a dick to screenrant and to FnF 1st one was a great movie and the other 2 were good, and screenrant is a great site. It is the best movie blogging site Ive ever seen.
to mike
you don’t have to be a dick. fast and furious 1 was great and 2 n 3 were great, and also you don’t have to be a dick to screenrant they have the best movie blogging site Ive ever seen.If you don’t like it at screenrant than leave.
Interesting that the MPAA has any say in government affairs. Hopefully we’ll empower them to tell us what to watch too. The analogies of theft are as dated and romantic as print media. The only way to stop digital copies from being “passed around” is to create movies in a completely analog realm. They did it before in H-wood. Runners, phone calls, actually cutting film with a splicer. Having critics come to a screening. The risk is there for all those who play with pandora’s digital box. Just ask Adobe.
@Jason Charles
My million number was a hypothetical. Eventually it could get to a number where it impacts the profitability of a movie.
@mikesbaker
If you do a test drive of a car at a dealership, correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure you HAVE THEIR PERMISSION.
@mike
Of COURSE it’s about money! Maybe not in your idealized little Utopia, but that’s how it works in the real world. This ain’t Star Trek – if there’s not profit to be made, then a movie that costs millions of dollars to make won’t be produced.
@hud
So you’re saying that as long as you only cost the movie a percentage of profits, even if it’s potentially millions of dollars, that’s ok then? And thanks for the defense, BTW.
@Mike
Regarding the B&N example: Is it ok with the author? You know, they guy who spent a year+ of his life writing the book so he could make money off it?
@Zipper
My point was meant to be extreme. It’s like boiling a frog, you just push things a little at a time. Abortion is OK, so at what point is euthanasia? Unproductive members of society? The point was that if there is no “gold standard” of what is right as wrong, it ends up being whatever we decide it should be.
@jim
Yes, good – mask the fact that you’re taking/copying/downloading something without permission behind the fact that it didn’t really “hurt” the movie because dammit you’re entitled to see whatever you want for free.
Vic
Why would anyone want to even watch this? It probably looks like crap, I’d rater see it in the theater in all its glory or on BD for sure.
LORD LICORICE: That’s why it’s an opinion piece! Awesome categorizations!
STEPHEN: You are wise beyond your years!
JOHN “Kahless” TAYLOR:: Thank you!!
ABJECT POINT BY Bruce:
I’d like to add that the last time I called a cop an idiot for writing me a speeding ticket for 5 over, just didn’t go over that well. Not to mention it was RUDE of me to do so.
I think a few people hit the problem on the head. Piracy isn’t the issue. Them trying to dictate how I should view it is. Veoh and Hulu and the rest are growing because some studios wised up and figured out that people want to watch what they want when they want.
people want more control over how they want to view their entertainment. I am happy with a download off hulu. some people want blue-ray some are fine with something on their ipod. People should be allowed to choose how they want to watch their entertainment and the sooner studios cater to these new models the happier everyone will be (i.e. studios make more money)
Piracy and studios will always be a problem. I remember them having a fit over VCRs and god forbid I grab a video out of a used cd shop. Wasn’t sony trying to close down used CD shops? Come on isn’t it getting a bit crazy. Not everyone places the same value on an item as much as the studio thinks it can try to enforce it. I routinely waited for games to go down to $20 bucks before getting them or the PS2, thats what they were worth to me. Some 360 games i buy the day they are released others I wait for the 5 dollar bin or just borrow them. Cuz well thats what they are worth. Hell only reason I get the $5 ones is there is nothing better and I got 5 bucks in my pocket.
I am finding that more and more people I know hate going to movies. from the cost to the rude people that turn them off, I have friends and family that will not go even when I offer to treat. Unless it is some really big movie they have to see they will skip it till its on cable. Even then the group of friends that will go has shrunk dramatically.
Just my take on the whole thing.
Let’s try to upgrade the comments to a community college level folks, attacking Vic, Bruce or SR is simply dodging the issue here!
^
“E,” that’s what I was alluding to with my “Reach Around” comment. Don’t get me wrong I firmly believe that pirating media content sucks and I don’t engage in that activity, however,,, I don’t put anything past FOX.
The Studios would love to see blogging sites regulated by the FTC, FCC and (insert new Regulation company name here). Don’t believe me check out todays “drudge report”.
The fact that the FBI is heavily mentioned in this FOX statement leads me to question “authority” in this case…
The last thing I’m doing is supporting FOX on this issue. They need to take appropriate steps to insure their interests, as those interests are there’s, and there’s alone.
Let’s not allow FOX, the FBI,and the MPAA movie police to subjugate us with their internal security problems.
Keep the internet free, is what I’m saying let’s not let this issue start the false flag attack on our free speech rights.
100.000 a-holes downloaded the wolverine work print, hey FOX get on that, and please your “thanks for your support” comments are frankly condescending…(IMO)
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