U.S. officials now say they believe North Korea was behind the computer hacking attack on Sony Pictures, NBC News has learned.
Officials say the hacking attack originated outside North Korea, but they believe those behind the attack were acting on orders from the North Korean government.
"We have found linkage to the North Korean government," a U.S. government source told NBC News.
A senior U.S. official added to NBC News that there will be a response and that the U.S. cannot let the hacking go unanswered. North Korea has publicly denied any involvement in the hacking.
Sony Pictures on Wednesday canceled the planned Christmas Day release of its film "The Interview" amid threats of violence against movie theaters that show the controversial comedy, according to NBC News.
In a statement released hours after the movie's New York City premiere was called off, Sony said it opted to cancel next week's planned national release because its partners wouldn't show the movie.
"We respect and understand our partners' decision and, of course, completely share their paramount interest in the safety of employees and theater-goers," the statement said.
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The premiere had been scheduled for Thursday at the Lower East Side's Landmark’s Sunshine Cinemas.
The movie, which stars “This is the End” co-stars Seth Rogen and James Franco, has been the target of hackers who leaked thousands of private emails from the cinema giant and threatened moviegoers with violence reminiscent of the Sept. 11, 2001, prompting the largest multiplex chains in North America to pull the film.
Landmark’s decision to can the New York City release came the same day as national theater chain Carmike Cinemas announced it would cancel planned showings of the movie. Bow Tie Cinemas, which operates dozens of theaters in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, had also said it would not show the film, which premiered in Los Angeles last week in a subdued event.
In its statement Wednesday, Sony called itself a victim "of an unprecedented criminal assault against our employees, our customers, and our business."
"Those who attacked us stole our intellectual property, private emails, and sensitive and proprietary material, and sought to destroy our spirit and our morale - all apparently to thwart the release of a movie they did not like," the company's statement said. "We are deeply saddened at this brazen effort to suppress the distribution of a movie, and in the process do damage to our company, our employees, and the American public. We stand by our filmmakers and their right to free expression and are extremely disappointed by this outcome."
The Department of Homeland Security had said there is "no credible intelligence to indicate an active plot against movie theaters," but noted it was still analyzing messages from the shadowy group calling itself Guardians of Peace or GOP.
The NYPD, after coordinating with the FBI and Sony, said before the Manhattan premiere was canceled that it would beef up security at the venue.
Now the decision to cancel the release altogether has outraged Hollywood and moviegoers alike.
"I don't like pulling it," said Shimon Bellis of the Upper West Side. "It's like negotiating with terrorists on a smaller leve."
Christopher Rosen, an entertainment editor at the Huffington Post, said the decision could cost Sony around $50 million.
"To not release it a week before it's out is mind-blowing to me, honestly," he said.
Actor Ben Stiller tweeted: "Really hard to believe this is the response to a threat to freedom of expression here in America. #TheInterview"
And Steve Carrell said on Twitter: "Sad day for creative expression. #feareatsthesoul."
In "The Interview," Rogen and Franco star as television journalists involved in a CIA plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Speculation about a North Korean link to the Sony hacking has centered on that country's angry denunciation of the film. Over the summer, North Korea warned that the film's release would be an "act of war that we will never tolerate." It said the U.S. will face "merciless" retaliation.
But on Tuesday Rogen and Franco pulled out of all media appearances, canceling a Buzzfeed Q&A and Rogen's planned guest spot Thursday on NBC’s "Late Night With Seth Meyers." A representative for Rogen said he had no comment.
A spokeswoman for Franco didn't respond to queries Tuesday.
Since the hack surfaced late last month, everything from financial figures to salacious emails between top Sony executives has been dumped online.
The nearly 32,000 emails to and from Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Lynton leaked Tuesday include information about casting decisions and total costs for upcoming films, release schedules for Sony films through 2018 and corporate financial records, such as royalties from iTunes, Spotify and Pandora music services. They include information about new electronics devices such as DVD players and cellphones. They also include budget figures for the Motion Picture Association of America, of which Sony is a member, and at least one email about a senior Sony executive who left the company. The emails also include banal messages about public appearances, tennis matches, home repairs, dinner invitations and business introductions.
The hack has led to at least two lawsuits by Sony Pictures workers.
