Stephen King says he has a solution for Sony, if they really want to air The Interview and are really concerned about dangers to moviegoers and others in the vicinity of whatever theater might be willing to show the movie. His (presumably somewhat tongue-in-cheek) suggestion? Warning signs, like amusement parks use.
Stephen King has been expressing his distaste for Sony’s decision to pull The Interview and cancel the December 25 release.
On Wednesday, he decried the decision.
Sony's decision to pull THE INTERVIEW is unsettling in so many ways. Good thing they didn't publish THE SATANIC VERSES.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) December 18, 2014
He’s not alone: George R. R. Martin and President Obama are only two of the many to speak out in opposition to Sony’s The Interview cancellation.
On Thursday, King speculated about the movie again, wondering whether it would turn up online.
I expect THE INTERVIEW to turn up online. Because, dig it, you can knock the rock but you can't stop the rock.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) December 18, 2014
In fact, Sony has discussed the possibility of releasing the movie online, though they haven’t offered any concrete promises. The media giant has begun to offer teases, hinting that they might select some platform to offer the movie, and that it’s still in discussion.
Late Saturday evening, Stephen King stepped in with a suggestion. He opened by mentioning an op-ed that apparently suggested free speech should sometimes be curtailed for safety’s sake.
DEADLINE editorial: freedom of expression should only be defended when lives are not at risk. I think the Founding Fathers would disagree.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) December 21, 2014
Theaters showing INTERVIEW could post a clear warning sign in their lobbies: VIEW AT YOUR OWN RISK. It works at amusement parks, right?
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) December 21, 2014
Malls are afraid of losing business before Christmas. Understandable. So open the movie in January, when the malls are almost deserted.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) December 21, 2014
Of course, at this point, any would-be viewers are probably aware of the threats to theater-goers if the movie is actually released. The hackers released an online message suggesting that, if the movie was released, the result would be comparable to the 9/11 attacks. Whether those threats are credible has been debated, of course, and whether bowing to them is a valid choice on Sony’s part — well, that’s certainly the subject of contention.
As for King’s suggestion, opening The Interview in January and posting warning signs may not be a viable option, but his overall point is one thing that the majority of Americans seem to agree on:
Bottom line: North Korea doesn't get to win.
— Stephen King (@StephenKing) December 21, 2014
Stephen King is right about another thing, too: it’s unlikely the rock can be stopped. If Sony doesn’t release The Interview officially, members of hacker collective Anonymous have hinted that they may obtain it and make it publicly available online.