X-Men Leak Downloaded Over a Million Times

Written by Ernesto on April 06, 2009 

The unfinished workprint of ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’ that leaked just a few days ago has already made its way to the computers of more than a million BitTorrent users. Unsurprisingly, the film leads our weekly chart of the ten most downloaded movies on BitTorrent.

x-men origins wolverineLess than a week after 20th Century Fox’s ‘upcoming’ blockbuster first appeared online, and three long weeks before the official premiere in the movie theaters, over a million people have already downloaded X-Men Origins: Wolverine via BitTorrent.

At the time of writing the film is also topping The Pirate Bay’s Top 100 most popular torrents and is listed among the most popular search terms on other torrent sites.

In an attempt to keep the damage to a minimum, Fox has been sending out takedown notices to various torrent sites. Most site operators are kind enough to take down the links, but new ones are already uploaded before the requests are processed.

Interestingly, most people think that the leak will actually do the movie good, as a poll among our readers indicates that 40% would be more excited to see it in the movie theater or on DVD, even if they had downloaded it. Only 6% of the respondents believe that the leak will be detrimental to the film’s success.

The data for our weekly download chart is collected by TorrentFreak, and is for informational and educational reference only. All the movies in the list are DVDrips unless stated otherwise.

RSS feed for the weekly DVDrip chart.

Week ending April 05, 2009
Ranking (last week) Movie Rating / Trailer
torrentfreak.com
1 (…) X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Workprint) … / trailer
2 (…) The Spirit 5.1 / trailer
3 (…) The International (R5) 6.9 / trailer
4 (1) Yes Man 7.2 / trailer
5 (3) Inkheart 6.4 / trailer
6 (4) Marley and Me 7.2 / trailer
7 (2) Bedtime Stories 6.2 / trailer
8 (…) Notorious 5.8 / trailer
9 (5) Twilight 6.1 / trailer
10 (…) Killshot 6.9 / trailer

Previously: Poll: Will the X-Men Leak Hurt the Movie’s Success?

Next: Sports Broadcasters Go After Live Streaming Pirates

42 Responses

1 Apr 06, 2009 at 18:29 by James

unsurprisingly wolverine leads.

But what is surprising is the fact Spirit is 2nd. That movie was horrible. Don’t waste your time (unless your a fanboy then you’ll probably enjoy it)

2 Apr 06, 2009 at 18:31 by boringg

personally, i have not downloaded it, because i think it’ll look rubbish without any special effects, rather wait for it in the cinema – i guess this leak has created a lot of free publicity!

3 Apr 06, 2009 at 18:46 by Random

Third.

Also, movies i really look forward to seeing, like Wolverine, i’m not gonna waste time watching in anything less than high-def, and especially not if its unfinished o.O

4 Apr 06, 2009 at 18:47 by Jeremy Jefferson

I’m glad it got leaked. This will be (in about a month) a great example of why file-sharing HELPS people make MORE money from their works.

5 Apr 06, 2009 at 19:07 by Tak0r

Not really since they would argument it would have been more without the leak so just the same crap as ever!

6 Apr 06, 2009 at 19:08 by Virate

¿Who are these people downloading that unfinished movie lacking special effects?

The International only has R5 video, audio’s crappy CAM quality.

7 Apr 06, 2009 at 19:53 by Anon

I agree with 2, It will probably make people want more out of it. A movie with out special effects is like having a girl friend without the sex. ;D

8 Apr 06, 2009 at 19:58 by riaatard

Free publicity for the greed machine which will probably lead to megamillions more in movie tickets and DVD/Blueray sales.

And they think piracy is evil.

9 Apr 06, 2009 at 20:30 by Flamso

Seriously, the movie rocked. And it was worth downloading, it totally was. So even though I’m a poor student I’ll watch it in cinemas. Since it rocked! :’D

10 Apr 06, 2009 at 20:33 by asd

movie was utterly shit.
special effects wouldn’t save nothing in this case.

11 Apr 06, 2009 at 20:56 by boots

The story itself ruined the workprint not the lack of cgi.

12 Apr 06, 2009 at 20:57 by Brian

I was planning on seeing the movie in the Theatre still…

13 Apr 06, 2009 at 21:06 by Reasoned Mind

This high concept movie will do well in theaters, despite the leak. But even if only 10% of the illegal downloads would have resulted in paid attendance, at $10 per that’s a million right there (not even counting lost DVD sales) the movie would have earned that it will not. And that’s a million less to make movies next year. Repeat year after year and watch quality tank. Fox is right. This blows for every movie professional who had their heart and soul into the making of this film.

14 Apr 06, 2009 at 21:14 by k

@13,

I know you’re a troll, but

for anyone else who might erroneously think that, don’t forget that if this poll is any indication, 40% of people who downloaded it, will actually go see the movie as a result. So let’s say they lost sales on 10% of the people who downloaded and gained sales on 40% of the people who downloaded. You do the math :)

15 Apr 06, 2009 at 21:17 by Binary Bandit

@ Reasoned Mind : And if (hell of a way to start a sentence :)) 20% of the downloaders paid to see the movie at the theaters when they may not have originally resulting in and extra million based on your numbers; what say you then?

16 Apr 06, 2009 at 21:20 by losers weepers

Is it me or does anyone else think 20th century is culpable. They are the ones that lost this film. Too bad, tighten the security and it wont happen again. If an armored car transports a billion bucks across the country with the window open (oops)
whose fault is it.

17 Apr 06, 2009 at 22:05 by abbie

can’t quite grasp the fact that “twilight” is actually on a list?
the damn movie is a cosmic joke. worst piece of bull ever!

18 Apr 06, 2009 at 22:45 by Anonymous

I never even heard of this film before all this brouhaha about the leak. Mabye I’ll whatch it now.

19 Apr 06, 2009 at 23:17 by hootenanny

Am I the only one thinking, this leak might be a huge marketing idea?

20 Apr 06, 2009 at 23:21 by thepirategeek

Personally I downloaded it to see what the film looks like before the CGI was finished. I’m interesting in the behind the scenes stuff and all, but being able to see the workprint is extremely educational from a film technique angle. In fact, I believe workprints should be included as extras in BD along with the other typical crap such as behind the scenes, trailers, interviews, etc.

I’m suprised the film wasn’t complete shit (like *cough* Chun Li *cough*). It’s FAR better than X3 and Spiderman 3. It’ll be worth seeing in theaters just to see Deadpool in action.

21 Apr 06, 2009 at 23:42 by leetamus

I remember watching a workprint of the Hulk.. he had no pants yet it was HILARIOUS! workprint FTW

22 Apr 07, 2009 at 00:11 by Anonymous

I, too, was interested in seeing what the film looked like before special effects are added. It was interesting, but I’m still going to see it in theaters to get the full effect. On another note, if Fox does happen to lose sales b/c of this it is their own fault. One article I read about the leak talked about how lax security is in regards to films in production. They quoted someone who works at Fox as saying practically anyone, including interns, can just walk out with a workprint.

23 Apr 07, 2009 at 02:25 by ant

I really think this was a free marketing ploy to boost sales on opening day, and subsequently through it’s duration in theaters.

Honestly, I would never have gone to see this movie in theaters as I’ve not got the comic movie “bug” everyone else seems to have. But after watching this “unfinished” leak/release, I actually want to watch it in it’s full glory in the theater.

24 Apr 07, 2009 at 02:30 by dissenter

@ Reasoned Mind, Oh boo-hoo cry me a freakin’ river. All those poor millionaires might have lost a few bucks… Oh the humanity!

You should have said:
“This blows for every fat corrupted greedy movie professional who had dollar signs in their eyes with the making of this film.”

But don’t worry the actors will still get their millions and so will the studios

25 Apr 07, 2009 at 03:10 by Anonymous

awful movie. kinda happy i saw it now as opposed to paying for it in theatres. so many characters and story lines were mucked up, but i’m a bit of a comic book-to-movie purist.

deadpool = totally ruined.

26 Apr 07, 2009 at 03:38 by Anonymous

It was better than I expected, and the unfinished CGI was interesting.. but I hadn’t planned to watch it in theaters before, and seeing this changes nothing. Fox didn’t lose my $10, they never had it in the first place

27 Apr 07, 2009 at 08:13 by ju

ive downloaded X-men Origins, but im gonna wait til it comes out at the cinema to see it. i just wanted to be part of history, lol. it was a pretty major leak.

28 Apr 07, 2009 at 08:43 by UraPhake

Fox News columnist out after ‘Wolverine’ review
Apr 6, 2009 (9:57p CDT)

LOS ANGELES – Fox News columnist Roger Friedman is out after posting a review of a leaked full-length work print of “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.” Fox News said Monday that the company’s representatives and Friedman “mutually agreed to part ways immediately.”

Friedman had been an entertainment writer who has contributed to FoxNews.com for 10 years. He wrote in his Fox 411 column Thursday that downloading the 20th Century Fox superhero prequel was “so much easier than going out in the rain” and that the movie “exceeds expectations at every turn.”

The early review of the film, which 20th Century Fox described as a “stolen, incomplete and early version,” was later removed from the Web site Friday.

The movie, which focuses on the beginnings of Hugh Jackman’s clawed Marvel superhero Wolverine, is not scheduled for release until May 1, but the leaked version began appearing online last week. 20th Century Fox promised that the source of the film would be prosecuted and said the FBI and Motion Picture Association of America are investigating the leak.

___

Fox News and 20th Century Fox are units of News Corp.

29 Apr 07, 2009 at 13:41 by no use for a name

i agree with whoever said they ruined deadpool in this movie…. they really did, otherwise i might have went to see it in theatres…
if marvel is connected in the production in these movies, shouldn’t they follow the marvel comic story line? i dont know, i guess that’s just me.

30 Apr 07, 2009 at 17:41 by DanielSemper

I will comment this again (sorry webmaster)…

I just want to let you know that X-Men Origins: Wolverine is being transmited in Tv Channels in Bolivia.

In Bolivia many Tv Channels are used to buy pirated DVDs, and since they bought one of Wolverine, they are now passing this film by normal Tv.

31 Apr 07, 2009 at 22:11 by noone

Please don’t watch the international. You may die of boredom.

32 Apr 08, 2009 at 09:17 by manel lachmaiya

I don’t think it was a finished vers of the film..

who would want to waste 5 gigs on an unfinished version of a movie, minues the sfx.

Directer Jackman looked so sad being interviewed after the leakage, so i doubt this a ploy of some sort to boost sales.

Wait for the real thing May 1, its going to be fuckiing hectic.

33 Apr 08, 2009 at 16:56 by msantos

@19
Yes, I’m convinced this is a publicity stunt the size of Liza Minelli’s last marriage! I liked seeing the unfinished version. I may be biased as a long term fan of Marvel but I really liked the movie and I’ll definitely see it in the theater.

34 Apr 09, 2009 at 00:58 by whowantstoknow?

where can i go to download the X-men origins movie?

35 Apr 09, 2009 at 12:02 by prodigydancer

I think I’ll DL it too after all. Not to watch it – I don’t like superhero flicks. Just to share it, just to make fat pigs a little more angry. :-)

36 Apr 10, 2009 at 02:39 by Anonymous

jor

37 Apr 10, 2009 at 09:54 by Fredd

I really don’t see what the big stink is about. DLing films before they’re released is the only way to safeguard against the marketing morons.

How many times have you seen a trailer and thought, “ohhh this will be great” only to discover that the trailer was edited much better than the actual movie.

I DLed Knowing, loved it, went to a theatre to see it on a big screen. I DLed Wolverine workprint saw it, loved the unfinished parts and will most definitely see in on the big screen. The flipside holds true for crap films as well – Spirit: bleh what a waste, Twilight worse …

DLing in advance should be the norm to confirm whether or not we spend out hard earned cash on a movie or not. Just because a Studio put tons of money into a crappy picture doesn’t mean I have to get fooled into seeing it from watching a super tightly edited trailer.

DL = trailer buster

38 Apr 11, 2009 at 04:55 by Bobe-On

Quote about the FBI and Hollywood:

“…I slammed your [FBI's] blatant double standard in throwing the book at a blogger, excessively going after him and humiliatingly hauling him into court in his PJs, while letting copyright infringing stars like Madonna run loose and rack up more financial damages than Cogill ever could… bringing him in via a 5 agent raid, like you were trying to apprehend Suge Knight (then you would have required 5 more agents)… Why don’t you arrest stars that break the law in that manner? Oh that’s right, you don’t arrest stars. Hollywood owns you. They may as well stamp the words ‘Property Of Hollywood’ on your backsides.”

From:
http://www.judiciaryreport.com/fbi_rep_targets_me_over_website.htm

The site also mentions an FBI agent caught, during an investigation, masturbating in a women’s washroom.

Now that I’d believe. ;)

39 Apr 12, 2009 at 22:42 by rip

well i must admit it’s a pretty good movie but it hurts 2 see ppl leakin other ppl hard work lik dat. im totally watcin dis in the theaters

40 Apr 15, 2009 at 16:06 by theoretical

The movie is no doubt amazing but in case you haven’t seen it check out http://thatheory.com/stand-up-comedy/wolf I thought it was pretty cool to NOT see what was special effects and what was real etc..

41 Apr 16, 2009 at 16:22 by Cowgirlbellydancer

I’m still going to see it, I want to see all the finished effects!

42 Apr 18, 2009 at 08:57 by XMASTER NO LOL IM PLAY3RX

WATCHED THE LEAK THERE WERE SPECIAL EFFECTS MOVIE SUCKED THOUGH

40 references to this post

Responses are closed

All remaining responses will continue to be archived. Use the TorrentFreak forums if you want to discuss something.