The Sony Pictures hacking scandal has suddenly become about a lot more than a few Obama jokes.
According to an e-mail posted to various websites Tuesday, the group allegedly behind the cyberattacks — which identifies itself as “Guardians of Peace” — suggested that it will organize terror attacks at movie theaters when the film “The Interview” premiers, as reports the Washington Times.
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“We will clearly show it to you at the very time and places ‘The Interview’ [will] be shown, including the premiere, how bitter fate those who seek fun in terror should be doomed to,” threatens the message. “The world will be full of fear. Remember the 11th of September 2001.”
The movie, which was originally set to premier Christmas day, stars James Franco and Seth Rogan and centers on journalists drafted by the CIA to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
It is suspected that individuals working for the government of North Korea are behind the attacks.
Wednesday, Sony Pictures made the decision to pull “The Interview” from theaters after four of the top theater circuits in the U.S. — AMC Entertainment, Cinemark, Carmike Cinemas, and Regal Entertainment — decided not to screen the film.
Moreover, both Franco and Rogen had canceled all of their public appearances for the film.
The Department of Homeland Security, however, is not yet deeming it a “credible” threat.
“We are still analyzing the credibility of these statements, but at this time there is no credible intelligence to indicate an active plot against movie theaters within the United States,” DHS said in a statement following the cyber threat.
Last week, Sony Pictures chair Amy Pascal came under fire when leaked e-mails exposed her making racial comments about President Obama in an conversation with a movie producer.
In addition to thousands of hacked e-mails, the cyberattack has also resulted in the release of executive salaries, employee Social Security numbers, movie budgets, and even a few new films.
