Sony admits regret over Seth Rogen’s 'The Interview' as infamous hack fallout still looms

Former Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton has admitted he regrets greenlighting Seth Rogen and James Franco’s controversial 2014 comedy The Interview, acknowledging the film’s role in triggering one of the most damaging crises in the studio’s history.

In his new memoir, Lynton looks back on the fallout from the film, which centered on a fictional plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and the cyberattack that followed its release. The Sony Pictures hack in November 2014 exposed confidential emails, employee data and unreleased films, creating a global scandal and forcing the studio to cancel the film’s premiere and alter its release strategy.

Reflecting on the decision to move forward with the project, Lynton writes candidly that he now sees it as a mistake. Recalling a conversation with Barack Obama after the incident, Lynton says the former president told him in full, “What were you thinking? Of course that was a mistake.”

Lynton also detailed the devastating personal and professional consequences of the hack, writing that it had a “profound impact” on Sony and on his own life. He recalled that the company was “reeling” after private emails, sensitive employee records and internal documents were leaked online and widely circulated, adding that the experience fundamentally changed how he viewed risk and responsibility in the entertainment industry.

He further reflected on his motivation at the time, explaining that part of the reason he approved the film was because he “wanted to be closer to the creative community,” but acknowledged that the decision had consequences that reached far beyond the business of filmmaking.

The breach, carried out by a group calling itself the “Guardians of Peace,” was widely linked to outrage over the film’s depiction of the North Korean leader. The incident sparked international tensions and forced Sony to temporarily cancel the movie’s theatrical release before later distributing it digitally and in a limited number of cinemas.

Looking back, Lynton says the episode reshaped how studios evaluate geopolitical risk and creative decisions, admitting that approving The Interview ultimately became a defining moment in his tenure and a cautionary lesson for the industry.