Some stars of The Interview have pulled out of media appearances
Sony
Pictures has cancelled the planned US release on 25 December of the
film The Interview, after major cinema chains decided not to screen it.
The film is about a fictional plot to kill North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Hackers have already carried out a cyber attack on Sony and warned the public to stay away from cinemas screening the film.
Earlier, the New York premiere of The Interview was cancelled. Sony says it understands its partners' decision.
However, in a statement it said it was "deeply saddened at this brazen effort to suppress the distribution of a movie".
"In light of the decision by the majority of our exhibitors
not to show the film The Interview, we have decided not to move forward
with the planned December 25 theatrical release," it said.
"We respect and understand our partners' decision and, of
course, completely share their paramount interest in the safety of
employees and theatre-goers."
It added: "We stand by our film makers and their right to free expression and are extremely disappointed by this outcome."
Hacking warning
Hackers calling themselves Guardians of Peace have released emails and data stolen from Sony in late November.
In a recent warning they mentioned the 9/11 attacks, claiming "the world will be full of fear".
The Interview stars US actors James Franco (l) and Seth Rogen (r)
"Remember the 11th of September 2001. We recommend you to keep
yourself distant from the places at that time," the hacker group wrote
in a message on Tuesday.
"Whatever comes in the coming days is called by the greed of Sony Pictures Entertainment."
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has been investigating
the attacks, and US media reported late on Wednesday, quoting anonymous
officials, that the agency had linked North Korea to the attacks.
The US government has said there is no "credible intelligence" of any plot to attack cinemas.
'Un-American'
Earlier, Sony had given theatres in the US and Canada the option to bow out of showing The Interview in the wake of the threats.
Regal Cinemas, AMC Entertainment and Cinemark Theatres - the
top three theatre chains in North America - subsequently announced they
were postponing screenings, and Canada's biggest theatre firms also
pulled out, leaving Sony seemingly no choice but to postpone the film.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Landmark Sunshine cinema had cancelled the film's New York premiere
Comedian Jimmy Kimmel tweeted
that the decision by theatres to refuse to show the film was "an
un-American act of cowardice that validates terrorist actions and sets a
terrifying precedent."
The Interview cost Sony an estimated $42m (£27m) to produce -
not nearly as much as action films like The Hunger Games or the X-Men
films - but still a significant amount for a comedy film.
So far, however, investors have not been too concerned about
the potential hit to Sony's bottom line. Sony's share price has declined
by just over 5% since the hack was revealed.
An effort by activist shareholder Daniel Loeb to get Sony to
spin off its entertainment arm was thwarted in 2013, but the hacking
revelations and their subsequent hit to Sony's reputation could renewal
calls to reconsider the structure of the firm.
