When you think of actors or filmmakers capable of inciting international incidents or changing the face of cinema forever, Seth Rogen isn’t a name that immediately comes to mind. However, the star managed to do both in one fell swoop when it came to infamous comedy The Interview.
There were genuine concerns in the buildup to release that the innocuous film would bring the planet to the brink of World War III, with North Korea reportedly very unhappy about King Jong-un being used as a vehicle for laughs in an American-backed production, which forced Sony into a panic.
Countless theater chains refuse to screen the film just in case, leading it to become a guinea pig for releasing simultaneously on VOD, streaming, and in multiplexes, which has become an increasing common practice for a number of different reasons. Speaking on the Hawk vs. Wolf podcast, co-director and co-writer Rogen opined on accidentally changing the course of history.
“At the time, it was really bad and really catastrophic. People we knew were getting fired from it. The head of the studio was essentially fired from it. It really caused seismic shifts in Hollywood at the time and I think how business was done in some ways.
It kind of showed the success a movie could have in some ways if it has a full theatrical campaign and then immediately go to streaming. It streamed on Google and I think it’s still the biggest movie that’s ever streamed on Google which is crazy. Students come up to me and say they’re teaching it in their university class. It was wild.”
Even though it wasn’t his intention or preferred outcome, history may one day remember Seth Rogen as being a key figure in the sweeping changes that the age of streaming has wrought on not just the theatrical experience, but cinema as a whole. Not what he was expecting, but at least it didn’t end in global catastrophe.
Published: Feb 7, 2023 02:53 am