Hey guys! Horrorella here...
It seems a little stange to think that Sony would greenlight a comedy about a pair of journalists who find themselves embroiled in a plot to assassinate the current sitting dictator of North Korea without considering that said comedy might, in fact, really piss off the dictator and country in question. But, for whatever reason, it didn't really seem to be an issue until the first trailer for THE INTERVIEW was released last month.
At first, North Korea's complaints didn't really seem to bug Sony, but now, they seem to be having some effect, as THR is reporting that changes are being made to the final cut of the film.
Apparently digital changes are being made to the buttons worn on the uniforms of North Korean military personnel displayed in the film, as apparently the buttons honor former leader Kim Jong-Il and his son and current leader, Kim Jong-Un, and showing them in the film would be considered "blasphemous." Uniform buttons seem like a tiny issue, but okay. If it makes them happy, and it won't drastically alter the film, fine. Take the buttons.
The other (and bigger) issue at play is the fact that Sony is also reportedly considering cutting a scene in which Kim Jong-Un's (played here by Randall Park) face is melted off, ala RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK. Which I (like many of you) think sounds fuck-awesome and had better be in the final cut of the film when I see it on Christmas Day!
Word is that the cuts are being made at the insistance of Sony Japan, as Japan has recently begun mending ties with North Korea and want to keep things positive. Kim Jong-Un is apparently a huge film fan (as was his father), so everybody is assuming that he will probably wind up seeing THE INTERVIEW at some point. While directors Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen haven't commented on the latest news, Rogen has gone on records as saying “I hope he likes it!”
Me too. Because if we can't all take a ridiculous comedy for what it is and laugh along with a little face melting, there is absolutely no hope for the human race.
