Well, after the first theater chain decided not to show the flick, the writing was on the wall.  And not showing the flick was totally within their rights, while I doubt that anything terrible would actually happen, I can see managers honestly worrying about another Dark Knight style shooting or something like that.

I've been hearing discussion about how this might be the perfect opportunity to experiment with day-and-date VOD release (I can't seem to find the actual article I read about this in my history, though).  For a long time, the idea of releasing a movie at home and in the theaters was shot down by pressure from theaters.  Not an issue in this case.  And you know that this movie is going to be released, Sony will want to make something back on its investment.  And since they can ONLY release the movie that way, and the budget is so high, they'll have to do some interesting math to make it earn back the budget.  And if they figure that out, that could lead the way for more studio-style direct-to-home movies in the future.  A return of the medium budget movie that Mac and I were lamenting just last night.

The amount of money lost is going to be a big thing in the future, I think.  Outside of the production and promotional cost associated with the flick, I can't even IMAGINE the amount of money that the hack cost the company.  Recovering from that is going to take a lot of work, but the results could be interesting.

Obviously, the security infrastructure and computer systems would have to be upgraded, made more secure, maybe decentralized so you can't get the whole thing from breaking one system.  Sony's a freakin' computer company, they could make really neat new systems so they can run their business more securely.

And that's just inside the system, the release (and the reporting) has given regular people a glimpse into the Hollywood backrooms.  How will that change things?

For example. some of the e-mails lamented big-budget ego-driven projects and Adam Sandler movies that no one likes... now that we know they don't like them either, will there be public pressure not to make those kinds of flicks anymore?  Now that Sony's secrets are out in the open (and let's be honest, most of it we don't know and what we do, we'll eventually forget), they suddenly have a more intimate relationship with the public than any other movie studio.  How can they turn that to an advantage?

I wonder about corporate espionage, as well.  These Sony things were leaked to the public, but does anyone truly think that the studios don't have all this stuff on everyone else?  How did this hack affect that side of things?

You know the replacement movie, "The Prepared Statement," just won't have the same energy.

Personally, I don’t think these ‘leaks’ will have an impact on much. Maybe Sony will get some flack, but I’m not sure the general public don’t care to do anything. They just love to consume (read) sh*t like this.

I’m disappointed too people caved.

I just find that everyday seems to bring more and more frustration with technology, media, etc. It’s the ol be careful what you wish for. Great advantages in the these advances, but there are Achilles heels and people will exploit them.

No iPad this time. PC at work.

I've seen this on occasion. Not sure what's causing it.

That Bastige!!!