With pirated movies back in the news this week, Movies.ie asks what is your take on illegal downloading?
Over the past few days the internet has been a blaze with media coverage of the leaked version of 20th Century Fox’s “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”. A month before its official release, this unfinished copy has caused quite the stir with the studio and the FBI involved in this “who done it” mystery.
Much of the focus of the story has been on the potential impact the pirated versions will have on the film’s theatrical release. There are two schools of thought. First, yes the film could be detrimental to the franchise but given the massive appeal of the film, the character and its fanboy audience, it may infact work in the film’s favour. Afterall, Wolverine is by no means the first film to leak online. Just think back to 2007 – when Halloween hit the web – the film was a sleeper hit earning nearly $80 million in box office. Indeed, Michael Moore went as far as to leak his own film – Sicko – an advertising tactic that certainly paid off for the director.
In this contemporary climate it can be all too easy to click your mouse and save yourself some pocket-change but here’s the real question; are we potentially harming ourselves and the film industry or do studios need to adapt to the contempory climate? Have your say in the comment box and poll below!
P.S. For The IT Crowd’s take on illegal downloading click the below video!