Screening of Kim Jong-Un film parody The Interview axed following 'remember 9/11' threats

The fictional comedy movie is about the assassination of North Korea’s leaders. It was cancelled amid threats from hackers.

17:29 17 December 2014

The New York premiere of The Interview, a comedy about an assassination plot on North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-Un, has been cancelled following threats from hackers who inferred that they will attack US cinemas showing the film.

The hackers, who called themselves Guardians of Peace, belong to the same group that released sensitive emails and data stolen from Sony.

In a message released on Tuesday, the hackers said: "Remember the 11th of September 2001. We recommend you to keep yourself distant from the places at that time.”

"If your house is nearby, you'd better leave," they add. "Whatever comes in the coming days is called by the greed of Sony Pictures Entertainment."

The Department of Homeland Security, which is currently analysing the messages from the group, said there was "no credible intelligence to indicate an active plot" against cinemas.

While Carmike Cinemas, which operates 278 venues across the America cancelled planned screenings, other cinemas backed the movie.

"If they play it, we'll show it," said Tom Stephenson, CEO of Look Cinemas.

"Sony has a right to make the movie, we have a right to play it and censorship in general is a bad thing."