Eh. It takes more effort to regionally lock something on the Internet than not. Sony makes this sound like they'll go to every effort eventually to release this movie across the globe - doing that would require so much less effort than they're currently expending. When you say "wait" you're asking people to assume Sony will get around to considering them equal members of the Internet society. Or they can just assert that power themselves.
As much as I can't wait to see the movie (because I'm a fan of absurdist comedy) I'm tired of this conversation. Release it or don't, everyone who wants to see it will. Release it globally or don't, but quit acting like it takes some act of heroism to release a movie outside the U.S.
> Eh. It takes more effort to regionally lock something on the Internet than not.
Not necessarily.
To properly allow your product to be sold in multiple international markets, you need to have customer support in the local languages. You need to support the popular local payment systems. You need localized fraud detection (risks differ by area). You also need to comply with local laws (copyright law differs by country, and rights to show movies may need to be negotiated separately).
It's true that you can just put something on YouTube for free and forget about it, and in that case, locking it to one region is just being mean. But when launching a paid and supported product, it's just not that easy.
edit: you also need subtitles or dubbing in some areas
Nonsense. You need that stuff for localized releases. Allowing worldwide purchase of the English/US version (take it or leave it) is perfectly possible and is easier.
Did you somehow miss how software or SaaS is sold these days? Worldwide?
The real reason is probably something mentioned elsewhere here: distribution contracts already in place.
edit: but I realize you do make a fair point, just being on YouTube means that it removes some of the technical difficulties in launching in multiple countries. It still leaves a lot of others, though.
I agree with everything you say - but it takes nothing away from my original point. The OP stated that he had 'no choice' but to pirate the movie. He does have a choice. He can wait for them to make it available to him - the cinema release was originally US only anyway. Or his other option is just to not watch it. I'm personally tired of the argument 'I had no option to pirate it'. It's rubbish. It's simply somebody's way of reliving themselves of any guilt or feeling of wrong doing from pirating. Pirate if I you want, just don't make bullshit excuses for it.
That said, I see pirating in this context as civil disobedience. It's not a new concept, and is used all the time to convey that the status quo is unacceptable to society at large.
There is the "choice" to accept things as they are, whether or not you believe them to be good and proper. Or you can break the law on purpose, with purpose, with intent to disobey laws and rules that you see as counter to the greater good.
Remember, this is copyright law we're talking about. Pirating is not thievery, and I personally see pirating in places where content is unavailable to be in the same wheel house as pirating as a voice against the absurdity of insanely extended copyright laws.
I'm highly conflicted on copyright law. I believe if they've made a movie they have the right to distribute it in whatever countries they want, whenever they want. They've put this together pretty damn quick too, I think they deserve a break. In fact they're hoping to expand the available countries to at least Canada in a day or two [1]. They probably already have distribution deals in place around the world (let's not forget the movie was only getting a US cinema release tomorrow originally) and those are probably limiting the VOD options.
As for copyright in general - extended copyright laws are nuts. I personally think it's fair for someone to have copyright until they die (no passing it on to relatives etc.). Also, it's a unpopular opinion here, but I consider piracy theft. And I'm not saying that to be morally superior - I've pirated lots of stuff but I consider it theft and wrong.
That's a pretty bad option, and reinforces the notion that non-US countries are second-class citizens when it comes to content, which is a big part of why piracy is popular in other countries.
Nobody wants to be treated as second class just because of where they were born. If history had happened the other way around, with the Internet first and Hollywood just now trying to introduce region-locked distribution, they would be decried as hideously insensitive, possibly racist. I don't blame anyone for wanting the same access at the same time we get it in region 1.
Sony Pictures Entertainment probably no longer has sole control over distribution elsewhere in the world. This close to the original planned release date, they likely have deals in place for nearly every other region, and thus partners to work with to arrange for release.
In fact, it's entirely possible that those deals were in place before filming even began, and some money may have changed hands at that time, helping to finance the film.
In short, there's almost certainly a partner of Sony in other countries that Sony has obligations to. Sony can't just alter those deals at will like it can alter its own plans in North America.
Come on. Your option is to wait. From the site: "we do hope to see the release of The Interview across the globe"