FBI Investigating X-Men Origins: Wolverine Leak

By Marcus Yam, published on April 3, 2009 at 9:50 AM
Source: Tom's Guide US | Keywords: , , , , | Themes: The Internet, Digital Entertainment
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Upcoming X-Men Origins: Wolverine movie leaks onto the internet.

True movie fans will always choose to view a film in the way that they were meant to be seen -- which means either in the theater for the first run and eventually on DVD or Blu-ray Disc later on.

Of course, there’s always the nefarious option of checking out a blurry-cam version on the internet, which is usually available while a given movie is in the theater, but the quality is rarely satisfactory. But what if there wasn’t the choice between watching a new movie in the theater versus downloading it? That’s the problem facing those who are eagerly anticipating X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

An early, unfinished version of X-Men Origins: Wolverine hit the internet to the surprise of many, as the film isn’t set for release until May 1. The leaked version is termed a “workprint” copy, which means it is unfinished some special effects are still missing, and may not contain the final cut of the film.

Nevertheless, the movie is reportedly still very watchable, with visual and audio quality being much better than the usual camcorder-recorded bootlegs for in-theater movies.

Understandably, 20th Century Fox is taking the matter very seriously. According to the BBC, the leaked workprint reached an estimated 100,000 downloads on Tuesday -- a number which has since grown.

"We forensically mark our content so we can identify sources that make it available or download it. The source of the initial leak and any subsequent postings will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," according to a statement from Fox.

The FBI has also been informed and is “actively investigating” the crime. The MPAA is also taking part in the investigation, as it always does when it comes to movie piracy.

Fox didn’t immediately condemn the entire internet, however, as it expressed thanks to those still vowed to support the movie: "We are encouraged by the support of fan sites condemning piracy and this illegal posting and pointing out that such theft undermines the enormous efforts of the filmmakers and actors and, above all, hurts fans of the film."

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Anonymous 04/03/2009 4:06 PM
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rooseveltdon 04/03/2009 4:18 PM
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029385675939 :
Whatever, the movie was disappointing anyway, glad I got to see it before wasting $9 to see it on the big screen.


moron you didnt even see the final cut of the movie just some crappy version off the internet and you already talking trash

Anonymous 04/03/2009 4:23 PM
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There's $9 they lost due to piracy :)

Pei-chen 04/03/2009 4:43 PM
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Who cares? I like the series so I'll drag my friend to see it in theater. Only those that don't want to see it in theater or buy the DVD/Blu-ray will download an unfinished copy.

MountainFlip 04/03/2009 4:49 PM
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I can promise you that they will not be losing money over this. I will bet that this actually drives more people to see the movie in theaters. The regular joe does not know how to download movies off the internet.

Anonymous 04/03/2009 4:50 PM
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the unfinished movie is total crap, i've wathced like 15 minutes of it and stopped. I'll go to the theatre and see it. Much better experience.

solymnar 04/03/2009 4:52 PM
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I would tend to agree with Pei-chen.

I plan on watching this at a theater and have no intentions of ruining the experience by seeing a production copy in advance. Where's the fun in that?

wikiwikiwhat 04/03/2009 5:09 PM
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Some of you people try to bash a movie you've said you've seen but haven't seen. Retards. Probably not your kind of movie anyways. Probably a Michael Bay fan...ughh. There was probably too many 'I know whats going on moments'. Because thats very unlike a Michael Bay film.

Elsapo 04/03/2009 5:12 PM
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rooseveltdon :
moron you didnt even see the final cut of the movie just some crappy version off the internet and you already talking trash



Watched part of it... It's definitely not a crappy version.. However I am gonna be in the cinema as soon as it comes out to get the true experience.

Blessedman 04/03/2009 5:21 PM
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The only problem MountainFlip is the audience for this movie is high percentage torrent savvy.

Grims 04/03/2009 5:30 PM
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I didn't download it, I don't want to ruin it for myself...but I have a hard time feeling sorry for movie studios when it comes to piracy. When I see actors being paid north of 20 million for a few months of their time.

wikiwikiwhat 04/03/2009 5:30 PM
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Blessedman :
The only problem MountainFlip is the audience for this movie is high percentage torrent savvy.



That's really not going to matter, seriously. Here is the thing, comic nerds will see this at the movies. Plus, you will have some people that will go see it at the theater and then download it just have to see again. HS teens and Junior High kids will see this as something to do on the weekend at the movies. Most people will go out and see it just to get out of the house.

Fox will get their money, but we shouldn't worry about that. It cost them a lot to make this movie. 9 bucks from everyone isn't asking a whole lot. If we like what we see then that 9 bucks helps make the sequel. Unfortunately, if we pay 9 bucks to see a Uwe Boll movie that we hate, he'll make a sequel. Nobody support Uwe Boll ever again.

Anonymous 04/03/2009 5:32 PM
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I look forward to watching the movie at the theater, but would then enjoy watching the unfinished version just to see how a lot of that stuff is done. would be a good add on to the disc release..since it is already released

trainreks 04/03/2009 5:41 PM
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i guess they are mad that people will find out how much the movie will suck before they have any chance to start making money on it. If it was a great movie it would have been good publicity urging people who saw it on their computers to go out and watch it in its full glory.

hellraiser06 04/03/2009 6:00 PM
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Man, I am going to watch it in theatre anyways. Downloaded cam verions suck. I dont think the makers will lose any money due to this, coz people who wont go to the theatre now, were not planning on it anyways.

NuclearShadow 04/03/2009 6:13 PM
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I for one couldn't care about the movie and don't understand the hype about it. Anyone who is even just a tiny fan of the X-Men should know the story of wolverine in the first place and this movie will just greatly molest that story into another Hollywood piece of crap. Just like every other Marvel movie. Also here is some common sense fact seeing as this is a prequel Wolverine will survive making all danger he faces worthless.

jkflipflop98 04/03/2009 6:38 PM
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NuclearShadow :
I for one couldn't care about the movie and don't understand the hype about it. Anyone who is even just a tiny fan of the X-Men should know the story of wolverine in the first place and this movie will just greatly molest that story into another Hollywood piece of crap. Just like every other Marvel movie. Also here is some common sense fact seeing as this is a prequel Wolverine will survive making all danger he faces worthless.




Wow, you just put a lot of time and thought into something you supposedly care nothing for.

darkking 25 04/03/2009 7:00 PM
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Curnel_D 04/03/2009 7:23 PM
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I've never liked any of the X-men themed movies. So even downloading it would be a waste of bandwidth for me. *shrug*

But even then, if fox really thinks that all of these torrenters would have instead seen the movie in theaters, and wont know, I could see why they'd be upset.

Just in 100,000+ downloads, by their assumptions the industry would have already lost a million dollars. (Granted I have no idea what cut they get from each ticket, so I was careful to write 'industry'.)

But I think even in piracy circles, almost everyone who honestly thinks the content is worth purchasing will buy it anyways.

So if Fox really thinks they've got a winner here, they dont have anything to worry about.

macer1 04/03/2009 7:51 PM
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Cant wait for this to come out.

dainsane1 04/03/2009 8:14 PM
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i have yet to watch the workprint but will and quite likely (come May i might just be that busy or simply forget) go any pay my 9$ to see it on the big screen as welll. i love this kind of thing. its quite intresting to compare the early edits to the final; did the same with kill bill. course this is comming from one who is a production designer / art director.

i find it doubtfull that this leak will hurt opening weekend. those who go and line up for opening weekend are either fans or are dragged in by their fan significant other. the leaked copy will not affect these types; they will go anyway.

Blessedman 04/03/2009 10:32 PM
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I don't think anyone supports Uwe Boll, I think he has the Nazi's Gold.

bigdaddyjosh 04/03/2009 11:20 PM
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The movie is great. Some people will complain about anything. First the movie is missing alot of CGI and you can clearly see the harnesses in it. Second there is no missing 20min. The story seamlessly transitions from one part to the next. Ive watched the download version two times and though flawed I will be definitely see this in the theatre.

turbolover22 04/03/2009 11:33 PM
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Lunch table conversation today was about someone who had download this and watched it. Just from his comments at lunch, there are now a couple more people that will be going to watch this when it comes out that wouldn't have gone to see the movie without his encouragement.

Andy_Newton 04/04/2009 2:51 AM
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The way I see it, it is a good source of learning material for movie editing students. They will have the opportunity to witness its development from "this version" and its "final cut version" with all special effects applied, which normally do not happen on daily basis.

demonhorde665 04/04/2009 9:54 AM
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Grims :
I didn't download it, I don't want to ruin it for myself...but I have a hard time feeling sorry for movie studios when it comes to piracy. When I see actors being paid north of 20 million for a few months of their time.




I agree 100% movie actors are the most overpaid a--es of our society. for thsir eason i can't understand how some one can be an "actor groupie". most actors wert eh unpoular kids in high school , eyt the grow and form this "clique" knwon as the movie industry and then throw them selves on pedestals above other poeple.

also of note the movies industry is the only industry where the LEAST creatively involved employees are the better paid employees (and grossly so)

granted a CEO in agmae company makes the bigest bank and doesnt have ahands on in teh creation of a game ... but the difference ther is a long shot form teh unbalanced pay of movie actors. like an average CEO of a game company makes about 150k-200k a year while say a lead art designer in a game makes about 60-80k a year

however , teh average script writer makes aroud 200k-400k a year , and the average actor makes upwards of 2 -10 million a year ... see the massive difference ... and lets face facts , those holy wood show ponies can talk all the BS they want .but actinG IS NOT A HARD JOB !!!!!!!! it uses next to NO real iamgination or creativity PERIOD. actors are told how to act and they do that they have no creative power in the characters they are acting to be.



any way enough of my rant. holywood is crap , and for teh most aprt i try to watch independant films these days adn stay away form most teh mindless drivvle that holywood is pushing

Anonymous 04/04/2009 1:09 PM
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hooray for piracy
free is always better
film companies have tons n tons of money. fuck em

my_name_is_earl 04/04/2009 6:17 PM
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I just refuse to download such film. I'm a fan of the X-Men and always watches them in theater and rent them when available. X-Men isn't the only thing that is leak on the internet but for those who download and like the movie. The possibility of them renting the actual movie is high. Film maker/publisher is just greedy that's all. I don't think people DL this film will stop me from going to the theater or renting it. Might as well as put a metal detector in movie theater and scare away bootleggers and people altogether.

kingnoobe 04/04/2009 10:10 PM
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Ya, all this piracy is really hurting movies,music,games.. Yet they still seem to break record profits when they actually produce something worth buying. I don't believe in piracy as an idea *go figure*, but do like it in practice... The little guy finally gets to make the big one cry.

veszerin 04/05/2009 12:04 PM
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there was one executive at fox who said this was completely unimportant.

something about those who download fit into 1 of 2 categories:
1) people who wouldn't pay for the movie either way.
2) big fans that will pay to see it in theaters anyways.

personally, I would download this, because I love the series, and I want to be able to see what it looks like before they put all the special fx in.
I'm also the type that would probably see it in theaters 3 times if it is as good as it looks in the trailer, and then buy it on blu-ray, Even though I can get it for free online, and probably will once i purchase it on blu-ray, just so I can have it on my computer, rather than having to dig through my movie collection and worry about damaged DVDs, especially when the protection layer on a blu-ray is so small.

bone squat 04/05/2009 9:50 AM
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I HATE comic book films! especially X-men crap - every single line is a cliche, the story is completely predictable and the acting is horrible. They're never violent enough and always embarrassing to watch. Why would idiots pay to watch such trash? If it is made by Marvel I give it 15 minutes to gain my interest. If it doesn't by then I'm done.


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