Gore Verbinski comments on New Regency's decision to cancel North Korea movie with Steve Carell

Just as Sony cancelled the release of The Interview, New Regency cancelled Pyongyang, a North Korea-set film that would have been directed by Ragno’s Gore Verbinski and starred Steve Carell. Verbinski commented on the decision, which he said came after Fox decided not to distribute it.

As previously reported, Pyongyang was based on Guy Delisle’s graphic novel, which focuses on a Westerner living in the communist state for a year. The Weather Man’s Steve Conrad penned the script.

After news broke that the film was cancelled, Verbinski explained what happened in a letter to Deadline, writing that he was told on Tuesday that Fox has decided not to distribute the film. Rather than search for a new distributor, New Regency decided to pull the plug on the project.

“I find it ironic that fear is eliminating the possibility to tell stories that depict our ability to overcome fear,” Verbinski added.

Carell also commented on Sony’s decision to cancel The Interview’s Christmas Day release in response to a threat from North Korea-backed hackers. “Sad day for creative expression. #feareatsthesoul,” the actor tweeted. He also shared an image from Charlie Chaplin’s iconic The Great Dictator, which made fun of Hitler while he was waging war in Europe.

Carell stars in Foxcatcher, which is slowly expanding throughout the country. The film has already earned the actor awards nominations for his against-type performance.

image of Steve Carell courtesy of INFphoto.com

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