‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ workprint hits Internet a month before release
And now, all the stories that we couldn’t run yesterday because people would think it’s another prank. I don’t blame them, I barely believe this one myself.
The statement from 20th Century Fox says it all:
"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."
The economic impact cannot be underestimated here, both to Fox and to Marvel, which had pegged May as the month to publish alternate Wolverine covers on every single title. We can assume that word-of-mouth attendance on the film’s opening weekend is going to be hurt. Remember that this was probably going to be Fox’s major money maker for the year– now they have to hope that nobody leaks Night At The Museum 2 or the next Ice Age film.
Between this and a bad batch of Slumdog Millionaire DVDs released without the special features advertised on the box, Fox is not having a good week.
With all that money Hollywood gets ,they can't get better security??? Fox should get their shit together and start firing people that make these things happen….
I think Both X Men and night at the museum 2 are gona be nice.
Someone at Fox is finally Getting It; IMDB's "Studio Briefing" says:"At least one Fox executive did not appear overly concerned about the leak. 'People who are going to download and watch it on their computer were either never going to pay to see it anyway or they're the type of super-fan who was going to go 10 times in the first week,' he told the Entertainment Weekly website."
on one of the torrents are 35.000 seeding and leaching, on another 50.000.prosecute them 2 :P=))
Hard to measure things like this. But I suspect those who've really been looking forward to the movie will see it in theaters anyway, so the leak makes little difference in that audience. At the other end of the spectrum those who were unlikely to see it are also less likely to see news of the leak , so the leak makes little difference to them.As in other things, it comes down to the independents and undecideds sitting in the middle.For myself (a comic fan who was looking forward to the movie and planned to see it in a theater at some point but had no plans to rush to see it opening weekend) having now seen the movie I'm less likely to see it in a theater. It would be nice to see it on a large screen with completed effects and sound. But as a whole the movie just didn't end up being that exciting or interesting for me. Basic feeling is I'm glad I don't have to spend the money to see what it's like.
The question is, how much would finished sound and effects have influenced your opinion of the film? Maybe we'll never know. And, having stolen the film, was it worth stealing or was it just a waste of time? Are DVDs you wouldn't pay for still worth shop-lifting?
I suspect not much. I actually found it interesting to see the wires, and the places where they cut to computer animation tor a second then back to live actors; moreso than seeing a finished movie. (But, then, I've always been more interested in things like the behind the scenes parts of Disneyland than the rides out front.)But it wasn't the lack of polish and finished effects that affected my opinion so much as the story. SPOILERS FOLLOW I fount it cliched (the elder couple that takes him in is killed), manipulative (all those other mutants shown in the previews? yeah we get about 3 seconds of action with them), predictable (girlfriend dies, hero is pulled back into the life he'd left behind, estranged brothers re-unite, villain is an old friend). More examples abound.So, yes, I "stole" the film by taking advantage of the opportunity to see it for free when it was presented to me. I do see that as different from the overt act of arranging to steal a DVD that I wasn't willing to pay for. If you want to make a comparison it's more like finding a DVD I wasn't willing to pay for lying in the street. Am I obligated to avert my eyes or find some merchant who sells it that I can pay?
I do know, it was a total turn off when I watched it after the first missing effects, totally ruined it for me, I couldn't watch it till the end and was very angry at whoever released this before it was finished. I don't even want to watch it now as the "magic" is ruined with permanent silly-looking effects, lack of effects, and props and notes embedded in my mind.
Let me see if I have this straight.You downloaded a copy of the movie illegally, without paying for it. You knew the copy of the movie was incomplete and unfinished. And you're ticked at the person who put it online?
being unemployed, i would never have seen it anyway, until it hits the TV in 2 years. Also, the online community has deemed CAMS really a horrible way to waste 90 mins. And this is a bit like a CAM. The only movies worth watching on cams are romcoms or no-effects drama.
So romantic comedy and no-effects dramas are worth stealing. But big screen, effects driven, action stuff, it's still a better value not to steal those.If you had an anonymous way of sneaking into the Movie Theater without paying, one where the chance of you getting caught is VERY small, would you do it? What if you thought movies were unfairly overpriced, would you sneak in every other time?
I'm fairly sure if you watch the unedited, missing scenes, so on and so forth movie, and you *actually* think you have some leg to stand on as far as critiquing it-you aren't a true fan. It's like taking a comic book and reading only the dialogue without seeing the pictures, or visa versa. A film isn't ready to be seen until it's completed by the studio, and anyone that actually wants to sit and debate the "coolness" of it because of the lack of special effects OBVIOUSLY should stick to their comic books and stay in their mommies basements.Respect the craft-people like this are the reason so many talented people stop delivering.
I admit to being a little curious about downloading it, but mostly to see if its as bad as I think it's gonna be. I'm sorry but the trailers they've shown so far has told me one thing, that movie studios are only in it for the money, plot be damned.http://www.igp-scifi.com/wolverine.html
to russ rogers.I wouldnt want to see this until it was fully completed.Instead I'll go see for free at the movie theatre where my friend of 20 years is the manager.Or would that be wrong as either way I still havent paid to see it.or maybe the oxygen is just thin from where your at.
w.e wasnt full movie, so it shouldnt be that big of a deal, they make enough money anyways, cost 10 bucks to see a movie in the theatres these days, complete bull crap. wow, one movie which is poorly constructed and isnt even close to be finished is on the net. ive seen the video and its a total waste of time and money for the fbi and mpaa to be havin a full investigation on it. yea maybe they should punish and catch the individuals who stole it and released it, but to put the time and effort in to go through people that download it and watch it online is ridiculous. i believe in people getting punished for crimes, but something at this scale isn't worth tax payers money. also this movie that was leaked is pretty much a preview, to show people how good this movie will be in theaters with the special effects and 3d digital imaging fully finished. so in light of a crime being committed it is actually going to help the hollywood industry financially.
Anonymous: i believe in people getting punished for crimesClearly that's just not true.
shut the hell up, were u the one that spent millions on it? no u arrogant turd, and IT WAS EFFECTIVELY THE WHOLE MOVIE, moron didn't you watch it? Apparently not or if you did you're a massive retard.