After a terror threat made by hackers against anyone who plans to see "The Interview" was published, Seth Rogen and James Franco have canceled planned press appearances set for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. According to a source close to Rogen, the promotional schedule will be reevaluated after Wednesday. Representatives for Sony Pictures, which is distributing "The Interview," and Franco were not immediately available to comment.
Thus far, Rogen and Franco have pulled out of an interview they were supposed to do with BuzzFeed (as part of the site's BuzzFeed Brews live event series) and Rogen's appearance with Seth Meyers, which was scheduled for Thursday. A planned interview with HuffPost Live set for Thursday had also been canceled.
The news comes the same day that hackers cited the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in a note published online. "We will clearly show it to you at the very time and places 'The Interview' be shown, including the premiere, how bitter fate those who seek fun in terror should be doomed to," the note read in part. (Read the full threat here.)
An unnamed official at the Department of Homeland Security told The Huffington Post via email that "there is no credible intelligence to indicate an active plot against movie theaters within the United States."
The film's New York premiere is set for Thursday. According to The Hollywood Reporter, plans are still in place for that screening to occur at Manhattan's Sunshine Cinema. Whether customary interview opportunities will be available on the red carpet is unclear. Sony did not allow interviews during the film's world premiere in Los Angeles last week. "If you're going to ask me questions, I'm going to run away!" Rogen said to Variety reporter Dave McNary before the screening began. (Per McNary, Rogen did follow through on his threat.)
Rogen and Franco have made press appearances since the cyberattack against Sony Pictures became widespread. The duo appeared with Howard Stern to denounce media coverage of the hack. "I do think it's fucked up how everyone is doing exactly what these criminals want," Rogen said.
And speaking to ABC, Rogen told George Stephanopoulos that he had no regrets about making the film. "At this point, it's too late to have any [second thoughts]," Rogen said. "I like the movie. I can't, in my head, over-connect everything surrounding it with the movie itself. [...] We set out to make a movie that was really entertaining to audiences. I genuinely think we did that. And that's where my job ends."
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