Before he even opened the e-mail he received at around 7 p.m. on Tuesday night, Tom Rothman, chairman of Twentieth Century Fox, knew it contained the news he’d dreaded most: An outdated copy X-Men Origins: Wolverine, the big summer tentpole movie that the studio had spent "hundreds of millions of dollars" to make, had been put up on the Internet in its entirety for fans to download at will. It was every studio chief’s worst nightmare. "The version that went out is unfinished. It’s about 10 minutes shorter, doesn’t have key scenes, it wasn’t edited, and none of the effects shots were in any remotely final form," Rothman tells EW. "It’s a complete misrepresentation of the film and is deeply unfair to the people who have worked on it for years."
Rothman says Fox and the FBI are zeroing in on the culprits and he feels confident that they’ll be able to name the perpetrators soon. Although early reports named Rising Sun Pictures, an Australian special effects house that worked on the movie, as a possible suspect due to a watermark with their logo that appeared on parts of the bootlegged copy, Rising Sun contacted EW this evening and denied any wrongdoing. "We worked on individual sections of the film and Rising Sun Pictures or its staff members have never been in possession of a complete version," said Rising Sun chairman Tony Clark in a statement. "It’s common practice for work in progress between us and the production to carry vendor watermarks and for these to be integrated into various edits of the film for screenings, which would explain why our name appears."
Regardless, the experience will change the way the studio does business with special effects houses and post production facilities in the future. "We, like everybody, thought our system was secure," Rothman says. "Just like I’m sure there are lots of banks that get robbed that thought their vault was safe. We thought the post-production pipeline was secure at every juncture. But, obviously, it’s self-evident that it wasn’t. I have a high level of confidence we’ll find out where the lapse in security was and we’ll bring the perpetrators to justice."
While it’s impossible to tabulate the actual amount of financial
damage caused by a high-profile act of creative theft such as this one,
Rothman hopes that it will be somewhat contained since the conventional
wisdom is that the people who download movies also tend to be the
alpha-fans who pay to see the same film multiple times in theaters.
"The picture is not the kind of movie people get the whole experience
of by watching on their computer. But other than The Hulk, I
don’t think a movie with this kind of anticipation has been stolen. And
it’s also a big deal because of how early it is." Meaning, there’s a
whole month before the movie is in theaters, and that gives fans a long
time to get their fill of X-Men and move on.
But the filmmakers are determined not to let that happen. Rothman is
touting a bunch of footage shot in Canada earlier this year that he
says is not even included in the version online. And he insists that
both he and Hugh Jackman have vowed to stop at nothing to get the movie
out to as many fans as possible. "Hugh was heartbroken and hurt when he
found out. He’s lived with this thing for 10 years. But he’s also a man
and knows that life isn’t fair, and is more determined than ever,"
Rothman says. "Hugh and I exchanged e-mails: Basically, we’re not going
to let the bastards win. But we didn’t use the word ‘bastards.’ That’s
a slightly sanitized version."
More on the ‘Wolverine’ leak:
‘Wolverine’ workprint leaked online
‘Wolverine’ leak: Fox issues a statement vowing to prosecute
‘Wolverine’ leak: Hollywood’s mixed response
While it’s impossible to tabulate the actual amount of financialdamage caused by a high-profile act of creative theft such as this one,Rothman hopes that it will be somewhat contained since the conventionalwisdom is that the people who download movies also tend to be thealpha-fans who pay to see the same film multiple times in theaters."The picture is not the kind of movie people get the whole experienceof by watching on their computer. But other than The Hulk, Idon’t think a movie with this kind of anticipation has been stolen. Andit’s also a big deal because of how early it is." Meaning, there’s awhole month before the movie is in theaters, and that gives fans a longtime to get their fill of X-Men and move on.
But the filmmakers are determined not to let that happen. Rothman istouting a bunch of footage shot in Canada earlier this year that hesays is not even included in the version online. And he insists thatboth he and Hugh Jackman have vowed to stop at nothing to get the movieout to as many fans as possible. "Hugh was heartbroken and hurt when hefound out. He’s lived with this thing for 10 years. But he’s also a manand knows that life isn’t fair, and is more determined than ever,"Rothman says. "Hugh and I exchanged e-mails: Basically, we’re not goingto let the bastards win. But we didn’t use the word ‘bastards.’ That’sa slightly sanitized version."
More on the ‘Wolverine’ leak:
‘Wolverine’ workprint leaked online
‘Wolverine’ leak: Fox issues a statement vowing to prosecute
‘Wolverine’ leak: Hollywood’s mixed response
Comments (1-30) of 108 Add your comment
There’s nothing to fear Fox.
If the “early” reviews are positive, people will still go see this movie in the theaters.
There is a lesson to be learned there. Don’t make stinkers.
wow i hope they get does bastards<–(That's a slightly sanitized version) that ruined x-men saga forever!!!!!
The early reviews aren’t positive. The movie is terrible.
You know, Fox is making this out to be a bad thing; and in a way, it is. But also by this leak, if those who watch it like it, there could be some good word of mouth that might actually sell more tickets.
…Ahh. Right.
See, I think that FOX KNEW it was going to be recieved horribly by the fans. They wanted to expose it to the world. Thus, when it “tanks” (if it does, I have hopes for the financial side) they can blame it on piracy, rather than bad quality – thus pertaining their producers.
Another theory I’ve had are the WB managers. Exposing the film, thus losing the money FOX would get. Why?
Well– How much did FOX get out of the Watchmen deal?
Hmm?
Or a begudging laid-off worker that had access to the cut.
…Also, Deadpool in the movie? Yeah, definately a work of the Aglets. Mind-controlling the chairmen… to return their ancient race to glory, even if it IS through cinema.
(See – it all goes back to the illuminati somehow.)
(Tip – the leaked version? Yeah, keep the music for the inro. It was inbelievably fitting.)
Anyone wanna know a bit about my theories? Wanna get in on it? Yeah– contact me. I’ve got tons more.
Just look for a little space station in the sky.
I really don’t think an extra 10 minutes will make it a better movie…
awesome, gonna be downloading something right now
awesome, gonna be downloading something right now
http://www.air-shox.com
Uh, did Jackman just say his life is unfair!?! From where I can see, your life seems more than fair.
While I don’t condone illegal downloading, and have no intention of watching Wolverine outside of the theatre, this whole thing is almost beautiful karmic retribution.
Tom Rothman and Fox have knowingly been stealing money from the hands of film goers for well over 5 years now. They’ve made crap film after crap film, with pathetic post-production work and shallow scripts. Elektra? The Day The Earth Stood Still? The Fantastic Four films? Jumper? The AVP films? Max Payne? Babylon AD? The X-Files: I Want To Believe? The Happening? Hitman? Etc, etc, etc.
Rothman can play the martyr card all he wants, but he won’t get any sympathy from me. He’s shown nothing but condescension towards filmgoers and a complete disregard for artistry and the beauty of filmmaking. If there is any fall-out from this whole leak the best result would be him getting kicked ass backwards out the backdoor of 20th Century Fox studios.
As much as I agree with Rothman there is the problem that filmgeek *hate* Fox and despise Rothman for his insistence on releasing crappy films. Many people are going to chalk this up to Karma. Agree with everything Rothman said… yet: Tom, stop making shitty films and turning your film studio a joke?
I downloaded it. I liked it, I am going to pay to see it again in the theaters.
I do not support piracy whatsoever. I fully intend on paying the $8-9 to see this as a matinee next month. I think it would be a huge slap in the face to Jackman and Marvel Studios for working this butts off to get this film made and not to mention all the man hours the production and post production crew put in.
I was able to watch it online right here http://missedashow.net/media/2583/X-Men_Origins_(2009)_WP/
Sad it had to be released like that!
Poor Hugh Jackman. Ten years with this character, devoted to fans, three years with this movie…I am going to see it gazillion times to the cinema and will take lots of friends with me. I will also tell everybody to go to see it.
Watch an unfinished product doesn´t make any sense and insults every movie fan (not Wolverine fan, not comic book fan but *movie* fan). I hope they will find that bastard who took it out and punish him properly.
This movie looks like total poop.
Poor Hugo, his cash cow has been let outta the bag. I guess he will have to cry over the millions of dollars he is getting to act in this garbage
“Peter, Fri, Apr 3, 2009 at 02:17 AM EST: Uh, did Jackman just say his life is unfair!?! From where I can see, your life seems more than fair.”
No, he said he knows life isn’t fair. Learn how to read.
Soldier, League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (tragedy), Alien vs Predator, Kingdom of Heaven, Fantastic Four, Die Hard, and Singer-less X-Men:
These are all reasons to remain unsympathetic to Mr. Rothman, if not outright loathe him and his crap factory of broken dreams. Maybe one day he’ll accidently make a good movie. Sorry the Hugh-Jack had to be involved.
Trent, I can’t agree with you more. I don’t condone illegal downloading either, and no, I don’t download even though “everyone else does it”. Stop being so cheap and just buy the stuff.
But you hit the nail on the head, Trent. They make so much crap and he seems soooo defensive about the illegal download (“it’s not the finished product!!!”; “it’s not edited!!!”). For crying out loud, it’s another crappy Wolverine movie; it’s not like someone leaked Citizen Kane before it was released in theaters for the first time.
I think they SHOULD prosecute whatever loser did this. But let’s get a grip on reality too.
How dramatic…Hugh is “heartbroken”? Come on, this isn’t going to kill the movie. There is nothing like seeing a movie like this up on the big screen, fully edited & complete. It’s going to make it’s money, and everything will be ok in the end. Unless of course the movie is so bad that no one comes after the opening weekend. I guess then Rothman can blame the leak for the failure.
The studios don’t get it. As more and more movies go digital that means there’s a digital file of it stored somewhere. And all it takes is one person to upload that file to the internet. It’s just a fact its going to happen. It’s not a good thing obviously, but studios need to understand this isn’t going to go away no matter how much security they do. I should also add if they made better movies in the first place leaks would actually help. Even alpha fans aren’t going to spend 9.50 over and over to see this or any movie.
Everybody who sometimes saw any interview with Hugh Jackman about Wolverine knows that he is really devoted to this. He loves that character and to this movie gave three years of his life. That hardcore fans are ungrateful bunch who turn their backs in the moment when some unfinished (!) version that could have been done months ago, isn´t as *they* wanted it to be.
How would you like to work on anything that long and then someone would steal it? He has full right being “heartbroken” as anyone else whose work has been stolen. And I am not even talking about hundreds of other people, from the director to the lowest assistant, who have been working on it. I hope they will catch that bastard and cut his hands off.
I’d rather wait to see the final version.
It has to be better than Watchmen……… bomb…….
I think this was an experiment in viral marketing. Someone thought it would be a clever way to get some free promotion for the movie.
Fox has been extremely nervous about this film ever since Australia bombed and Hugh Jackman pranced around in honour of the musical at the Academy Awards.
They were, however, confident enough in the cut to leak it, hoping that they could create good word of mouth and turn around the generally negative buzz in geekland.
Last minute re-shoots are usually not a sign of a quality film. This film looks terrible based on the trailers, I don’t need to watch a pirated copy to find that out.
DeMalma- Lord of the Rings did reshoots for all 3 films. Are they weak?
I really don’t see this as being that big of a deal… I think people are being overly dramatic. This theory as to how the leak will affect the box office suits me: http://theboxofficejunkie.com/2009/04/wolverine-leaked-online-what-does-this.html
I liked watching it without the finished FX. I got to see how weak the story was without the distration of something pretty.