Beaks here...

Not yet, at least. Not until the film screens in an actual theater. Because the only way you're seeing it right now is through illegal channels, and we're not going to condone that.

I hate running this story, but the deluge is about to come. Forums on other movie news sites are already overrun with links and reactions to a fairly high quality studio workprint that leaked this evening - and I don't care to comment on any of it because I don't want to encourage piracy at a time when the studios are laying off employees in droves. This is bad, bad, bad for the business.

But it's also unprecedented. While I don't know if this is the biggest film to ever leak (back in 2007, there were reports of SPIDER-MAN 3 rips turning up in China a week prior to release), I can't think of a single $100 million-plus summer tentpole that hit the internet a full month early. This is significant because, as Drew posted at HitFix, no matter how hard Fox cracks down on this leak, the toothpaste is out of the tube. If you want to watch WOLVERINE online, you're not going to have to work too hard to find it.

And then there's the matter of sharing your reaction. That's where I'm struggling. While we can control what we post to the site, there are these pesky little things called talkbacks where folks can write pretty much whatever they please so long as they're not advocating genocide or disparaging Vic Tayback. I called Harry the minute I knew this leak was real (on April 1st of all days), and we went back and forth on how to handle this. I considered disabling talkbacks for this story, but knew that the discussion would just bleed into other stories. Then I floated the idea of banning anyone who expressed an opinion based on the workprint, but quickly realized that would be a moderating nightmare.

There's really nothing we can do aside from report on the leak and let you steer the discussion. If you're excited for WOLVERINE and don't want to be spoiled on the kickoff to Summer '09, I'd stay far away from this talkback. Hopefully, most of you will do the honorable thing and not download the movie. Ball's in your court. All I can promise is that we won't run a single review until the movie screens for press (be it junket or otherwise). And, yes, I'm well aware that we're in a gray area here.

The following statement was just issued by Fox re: the leak of the WOLVERINE workprint:

Last night, a stolen, incomplete and early version of X-Men Origins: Wolverine was posted illegally on websites. It was without many effects and had missing scenes and temporary sound and music. We immediately contacted the appropriate legal authorities and had it removed. We forensically mark our content so we can identify sources that make it available or download it. The source of the initial leak and any subsequent postings will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law - the courts have handed down significant criminal sentences for such acts and the last person who committed such a crime is still in jail. The FBI and the MPAA also are actively investigating this crime. We are encouraged by the support of fansites condemning piracy and this illegal posting and pointing out that such theft undermines the enormous efforts of the filmmakers and actors, and above all, hurts the fans of the film.

Reiterating: "It was without many effects and had missing scenes and temporary sound and music." And for those of you who questioned our motives in posting this story: "We are encouraged by the support of fansites condemning piracy and this illegal posting and pointing out that such theft undermines the enormous efforts of the filmmakers and actors, and above all, hurts the fans of the film."

X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE hits theaters on May 1, 2009.