Okay, first of all I HATE April Fools day. Fucking hate it. Terrible holiday. If any of you try to prank me today, you will not like the response. Let's just get that shit out of the way right now. I am NOT in the mood this year. So know now that this isn't THAT.
So less than an hour ago TWITTER exploded with the rumor that a X-Men Origins: Wolverine workprint hit the web ready to be illegally downloaded by potentially tens of millions of people world wide, quite possibly being the earliest, most publicized leak of this kind in the modern technological age (the last and closest being The (Ang Lee) Hulk.) This is BIG.

There's only one small problem. It's not REALLY the movie they're releasing.
You see, late last year FOX sat down to take a look at what they had and - with the rampant success of a certain caped crusader's summer film - decided to rethink their position on Superhero films. Allegedly Rothman (who I have been repeatedly told has had a change of heart since all the direct criticism has been leveled at him) decided to greenlight additional shooting of material he squashed previously for being reportedly "too mature". So they set about what they called "reshoots" which was nothing of the kind. It was supposedly BRAND NEW MATERIAL.
So what does that have to do with the workprint many of you have already begun downloading since the beginning of this article? Well the final summer release version is rumored to be 120 minutes. This version is 106 minutes.You do the math.
Yeah. This isn't the final version.
So let me get this straight...FOX isn't happy with the film and sets out to make it better and some internal douchenozzle steals the old version, puts it up online without any explanation of what people are going to see and tomorrow the internet will be awash in REVIEWS of the new X-men film? Um. Yeeeeeeeeeeeah. No.
Most of you already know my position on piracy - but know now that this is
the example. This will be the one that could make a HUGE splash. FOX
loves scapegoating to explain their failures. If this movie underperforms, you downloaders will be blamed and there will be a new push to add needless legislation to the net to make sure you guys pay or do time. SOMEONE will be arrested for this unless they are the fucking Harry Houdini of the interwebs and left no trail. Odds are they're just some deck-jockey who wanted to feel cool and will do 7 years like the guy that uploaded The Hulk.
People are being cheated. And before you say "Couldn't happen to a nicer guy" about FOX, keep in mind it is ultimately the movie and the filmmakers who will get shortchanged, not the execs. That and everyone who thinks they're watching a film they're excited about only to see the shittier, unfinished version with temp effects, the wrong music and all the really good new stuff missing. Sure, they have a chance to see the real movie later - but with their excitement dampened and hopes dashed.
Do yourself a favor. Skip this one. If not for the studio, if not for the filmmakers, if not for the sake of being a self-righteous jackass like myself, do it for your own enjoyment (or loathing) of the film when it is released (or leaked) in its proper, final form.
You need to be a member of The Spill.com Movie Community to add comments!
Join this social network