Sean Penn Blasts Sony For Pulling 'The Interview'; Petition Demands For Movie's Release

Veteran actor Sean Penn assailed Sony for cancelling the release of the movie "The Interview."

A Huffington Post report cited the Academy Award winning actor saying that Sony's decision gave ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) "a commanding invitation" which he said the group will absolutely accept. "Pandora's box is officially open," he added.

Here's a copy of the letter that Sean sent to Mother Jones:

"It's not the first time culture has been threatened by foreign interests and corporate caution. See [then Disney CEO] Michael Eisner's interview with Charlie Rose in 1997, when Disney was dealing with pressure from China about Martin Scorcese's Tibet film, Kundun. Eisner said, "we do not take, as a company, a position either in human rights or not in human rights. We are a movie company. We're an entertainment company." That was a pretty shocking statement. (Disney, which was looking to expand its ventures in China, did end up distributing the film, but distribution was limited and the advertising budget was low-and despite these concessions, Disney was largely frozen out of the Chinese markets for years.) This week, the distributors who wouldn't show The Interview and Sony have sent ISIS a commanding invitation. I believe ISIS will accept the invitation. Pandora's box is officially open..."

"The damage we do to ourselves typically outweighs the harm caused by outside threats or actions. Then by caving to the outside threat, we make our nightmares real. The decision to pull The Interview is historic. It's a case of putting short term interests ahead of the long term. If we don't get the world on board to see that this is a game changer, if this hacking doesn't frighten the Chinese and the Russians, we're in for a very different world, a very different country, community, and a very different culture..."

"I'm not sure the world has come to terms with all the implications of the hacking. I was in Liberia and Sierra Leone right at the beginning of the Ebola outbreak in April. It did seem to those of us there that the response was neither coming swiftly or with a true sense of urgency. This feels the same. This matter should be before the UN Security Council today."

The cancellation of the theatrical release of the satirical film "The Interview" was made after a recent cyber-attack on Sony Pictures allegedly perpetrated by the North Korean government. According to Entertainment Weekly, the attacks, which include hacking the exchange of emails among Sony Pictures co-chairman Amy Pascal, producer Scott Rudin, and Sony chief executive Kazuo Hirai, have finally been confirmed by the FBI as staged by the North Korean government.

"The Interview" tells the story of two guys, portrayed by Seth Rogen and James Franco, who plan the assassination of the leader of North Korea, Kim Jong-un. Time reported that the movie has been denounced by the North Korean government, calling it an "act of war."

President Barack Obama said that the American government will respond to the attacks "proportionately and in a space, time and manner that we choose," BBC News reported. Obama also said that they will not let some dictator who is in someplace else to tell people what to censor in the US.

Sony, meanwhile, said in a statement that it only cancelled the movie's Christmas Day release after the theater owners decided to pull it out. It added that it will do its best to show the movie to those who want to see it but on a different platform.

Aside from Sean Penn, several other known personalities such Ben Stiller, Steve Carell, and Jimmy Kimmel have aired their dismay over the cancellation of the film.

Also, online petitions pushing for the airing of the film have also been made through Change.org and Petitions.whitehouse.gov.

Watch the movie's trailer here: