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Disney Chief Bob Iger Says Hackers Claim To Have Stolen Upcoming Movie (hollywoodreporter.com)

Posted by BeauHD on from the ransom-or-else dept.

An anonymous reader quotes a report from Hollywood Reporter: Walt Disney CEO Bob Iger revealed Monday that hackers claiming to have access to a Disney movie threatened to release it unless the studio paid a ransom. Iger didn't disclose the name of the film, but said Disney is refusing to pay. The studio is working with federal investigators. Iger's comments came during a town hall meeting with ABC employees in New York City, according to multiple sources. The Disney chief said the hackers demanded that a huge sum be paid in Bitcoin. They said they would release five minutes of the film at first, and then in 20-minute chunks until their financial demands are met. While movie piracy has long been a scourge, ransoms appear to be a new twist. UPDATE: According to Deadline, the movie in question appears to be the upcoming film Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Disney appears to be working with the FBI and will not pay the ransom.

5 of 121 comments (clear)

  1. Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales.. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    AKA... Pirates of the Caribbean: Lets Kick A Dead Horse One More Time.

  2. File that under... what? by DontBeAMoran · · Score: 5, Funny

    The movie in question appears to be the upcoming film Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. Disney appears to be working with the FBI and will not pay the ransom.

    So it's a movie about pirates that's been "pirated" and a ransom has been asked but won't be paid because hopefully the "heroes" will save the day. I don't know if I should file that under irony, inception, recursive and/or funny.

    --
    #DeleteFacebook
  3. They should threaten to send it to movie critics by elrous0 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    "Give us the moneys or we show the movie critics how awful it is!" warned the pirates.

    In other news, this is the lamest publicity stunt ever.

    --
    SJW: Someone who has run out of real oppression, and has to fake it.
  4. ok so... by roc97007 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Disney has done some bad things recently (cough-H1B-cough) but I'm kinda glad they refused to pay. And I have a stronger urge to see this film in the theater, regardless of whether the criminals release it or not.

    --
    Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
  5. Re: so, quit outsourcing, esp. your security. by Kabukiwookie · · Score: 4, Insightful

    If you think hiring professionals is expensive, wait until you've hired some amateurs.

    --
    The mountains of madness have many little plateaus of sanity - Terry Pratchett.