Piracy usually involves someone stealing a movie or TV show then uploading and sharing it so everyone can watch it for free. Some even viewed it (incorrectly!) as a victimless crime.
Well, that facade is being torn away
At least, that used to be the case. In a bold and probably self-defeating move, hackers have reached out to Disney to tell them that they have a movie digitally downloaded in its entirety — and they’re demanding a hefty ransom not to release it to the public in 20-minute increments.
In a real Mel Gibson move (early badass Mel, not drunken belligerent Mel), CEO Bob Iger declared during an ABC town hall meeting on Monday that the studio is refusing to pay. Then he poured Bitcoin all over the desk and said, “Take a good look. This is as close as you’re ever going to get to it.”
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OK, that last part didn’t happen.
Instead the company is cooperating with authorities to try and help track down the culprits.
Ironically, the film — which Iger did not mention by name — is reportedly Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales, which opens this Friday, May 19. And if it’s released online this week, the box office could really suffer.
Weeks ago pirates made a similar threat to Netflix, who also refused to pay. The entire season of Orange is the New Black dropped on The Pirate Bay six weeks early.
We appreciate these companies standing up to these demands. We just hope the jerks get caught before they can make a trend of it!
Continue reading:
Actual Pirates Are Holding Pirates Of The Caribbean 5 For Ransom! See Disney’s Badass Response!
