The various leaked X-Men copies that found their way onto various file-sharing networks are not quite finished. All the available ‘workprint’ versions of the film are missing special effects, but that didn’t stop most people from taking a sneak peak at this upcoming blockbuster release. The film is due for an official release on May 1, but at least 900,000 BitTorrent users already know how it’s going to end.
20th Century Fox wasn’t happy with this global sneak preview and asked the FBI and MPAA to investigate the case. On Friday it was rumored that an FBI investigation led to a raid on a Dallas data center, but this turned out not to be true. The leak has already cost one Fox news reporter his job. He posted a review of the downloaded movie online and although he loved it, Fox didn’t and he was fired.
What we want to find out with this week’s regular Sunday poll is whether you feel the leak will end up hurting the success of the movie in the long run – or not. It will, if those who have downloaded the film don’t end up seeing it in the movie theater or on DVD, having originally planned to do so. The flip side is that the leak and the associated widespread press coverage could be serving as a useful promotional tool. Those who’ve seen it might become even more curious about the final product, recommended it to others or even take a few friends along to the theater with them.
We’d like to know what you think. How would you respond, IF you had downloaded a copy?
