SONY-CYBERSECURITY/BOND Hackers vs James Bond: 'SPECTRE' script stolen in Sony attack

Record ID: 451724

  • Title: SONY-CYBERSECURITY/BOND Hackers vs James Bond: 'SPECTRE' script stolen in Sony attack
  • Date: 13th December 2014
  • Summary: ****WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** CLOSE-UP OF CRAIG FULL CAST ON STAGE WITH MENDES CAR BEING UNVEILED
  • Embargoed: 28th December 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA5ZPZLYA0UXAQAX0OZ7YCVMREB
  • Story Text: Early villains have emerged in the next James Bond film "SPECTRE": hackers who stole a version of the screenplay as part of a devastating cyberattack on Sony Pictures.
    Producers of the James Bond films said they learned on Saturday (December 13) morning that an early version of the "SPECTRE" script was among material stolen and made public by hackers who infiltrated computers at the Sony studio.
    "Eon Productions is concerned that third parties who have received the stolen screenplay may seek to publish it or its contents," Eon said in a statement, while warning that the script is protected by U.K. copyright laws.
    "SPECTRE," starring Daniel Craig as 007, is set for release on Nov. 6, 2015. The Bond girls were announced as Italian actress Monica Bellucci and French actress Lea Seydoux.
    Director Sam Mendes said they were his only choices for the roles, adding that "One of the most wonderful things about both these movies, this one and the last is that there was no other agenda in the casting other than getting the best we could possibly get and I feel that we've got them in this movie."
    Naomie Harris, Ben Whishaw and Ralph Fiennes are returning in their roles as Moneypenny, Q and M respectively, joined by newcomer Christoph Waltz.
    Filming began this month after producer Barbara Broccoli and director Sam Mendes unveiled the title, cast and new car, but little about the plot.
    The title was a clear reference to the global criminal organization that Bond has battled since the first film in the series, 1962's "Dr No".
    SPECTRE infamously stood for the Special Executive for Counter-intelligence, Terrorism, Revenge and Extortion.
    The Bond franchise is one of the most lucrative for Sony Pictures and the last installment "Skyfall" brought in $1.1 billion worldwide, more than any other Bond film.
    A Sony spokesman said news reports that the cyberattack forced the studio to stop production on films, including "SPECTRE," were wrong.
    "Productions are still moving forward," Robert Lawson told Reuters.
    Hackers launched an attack on the Sony Corp. entertainment arm on Nov. 24, disabling the computer network and stealing and leaking a trove of sensitive information in the most severe cyberattack on a company on U.S. soil. The identity of the hackers has yet to be determined.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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