E-Paper
James Franco starrer, The Interview edited to satisfy North Korea
Sony ultimately caved to threats from the North Korean government and returned to the editing room with its upcoming comedy, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Sony ultimately caved to threats from the North Korean government and returned to the editing room with its upcoming comedy, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Directed by Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen, The Interview stars James Franco and Rogen as an American talk show host and his producer. The two men wind up at the heart of a plot to assassinate North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un, played by Randall Park.
The story was not to the liking of officials in Pyongyang, who described the feature as an act of terrorism and filed an official complaint with the UN in July in an attempt to ban its release.
Also read:N Korea says James Franco comedy on Kim assassination 'act of terror'
To alleviate tensions, Sony decided to digitally alter certain details in the film. The most significant task involves digitally retouching thousands of buttons seen on the military uniforms of North Korean characters. Since these items are true replicas of the actual buttons worn by the North Korean army, their depiction on the silver screen would reportedly be considered as "blasphemous."
The studio is also considering cutting out a scene in which Kim Jong-Un's face is melted in slow motion.
Initially scheduled to bow on August 8, The Interview is now due in US theaters on December 25.
