Fury, Annie, and other Sony movies leak online after massive cyberattack


There's a lot of speculation about who is behind an ongoing Nov. 24 cyberattack that has taken Sony Pictures Entertainment's computer network offline. With no usable computers or company email, Sony has set up Gmail accounts for employees; those unable to use any devices "have resorted to pens, paper, and fax machines to do their jobs," the Los Angeles Times reports.
Adding (costly) insult to injury, several new and unreleased Sony films have started appearing on file-sharing sites, including the Brad Pitt war drama Fury, the remake of Annie, Still Alice, and Mr. Turner. "The theft of Sony Pictures Entertainment content is a criminal matter, and we are working closely with law enforcement to address it," Sony said in a statement.
It's not clear that the hackers stole the Sony movies along with passwords and other information about employees. But the fact that leaked films do not include the comedy The Interview lends some possible credence to suspicions that North Korea is involved in the GOP (Guardians of Peace) group claiming credit for the attack. Kim Jong Un is said to be livid about the upcoming Seth Rogin-James Franco comedy, about a plot to assassinate him, and would like the movie to disappear.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Prevost elected first US pope, becomes Leo XIV
speed read Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost is a Chicago native who spent decades living in Peru
-
'Art is one of humanity's great empathic mediums'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Today's political cartoons - May 9, 2025
Cartoons Friday's cartoons - India-Pakistan tensions, pope hopeful, and more
-
Scattered Spider: who are the hackers linked to M&S and Co-op cyberattacks?
The Explainer 'Decentralised and adaptive', the group's mainly English-speaking members operate like an 'organised criminal network'
-
Suspect charged after 11 die in Vancouver car attack
Speed Read Kai-Ji Adam Lo drove an SUV into a crowd at the Lapu Lapu Day festival
-
Kenya arrests alleged ant smugglers
speed read Two young Belgians have been charged for attempting to smuggle ants out of the country to exotic pet buyers
-
Judge ends Eric Adams case, Trump leverage
Speed Read Federal corruption charges against New York City Mayor Eric Adams were dismissed, as requested by Trump's Justice Department
-
Texas arrests midwife on felony abortion charges
Speed Read Maria Margarita Rojas and an employee at one of her clinics are the first to be criminally charged under Texas' near-total abortion ban
-
South Carolina to execute prisoner by firing squad
speed read Death row inmate Brad Sigmon prefers the squad over the electric chair or lethal injection, his lawyer said
-
North Korea may have just pulled off the world's biggest heist
Under the Radar Hermit kingdom increasingly targets vulnerable cryptocurrency, using cybercrime to boost battered economy and fund weapons programmes
-
Mexico extradites 29 cartel figures amid US tariff threat
Speed Read The extradited suspects include Rafael Caro Quintero, long sought after killing a US narcotics agent