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More Than 50 Sony Movie Scripts Leaked Online

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the interview james franco

The latest round of Sony leaks has resulted in more than 50 movie scripts for new and finished projects getting released online.

The scripts were part of a leak on Tuesday in which the emails of Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton were released by hackers, whom U.S. authorities believe to be from North Korea.

The leaks came before Sony's Wednesday announcement that it would not release Kim Jong-un assassination movie "The Interview." 

Among the movie scripts found by Business Insider are "The Social Network," the script for the next Dan Brown adaptation, "Inferno," and an early version of "The Interview."

Many appear to be early drafts.

Previously, the new James Bond movie script for "Spectre," was reported to leak online.

Here's the full list of scripts. 

Unreleased movies:

"Hotel Transylvania 2" [Third draft]
"Smurfs 3"
"Catfight"
"5th Wave"
"Annie"
"The Black Phantom"
"Inferno" 
"Invertigo"
"Little House on the Prairie"
"Padre"
"Paul Blart Mall Cop 2"
"Pixels"
"Ricki and the Flash"
"Royal Wedding"
"Sausage Party"
"The Interview"
"The Walk"
"The Raid"
"Wedding Ringer"
"When the Game Stands Tall"

Released movies:

"2 Guns"
"21 Jump Street" 
"22 Jump Street"
"30 Minutes or Less"
"After Earth"
"About Last Night"
"Anonymous"
"Arthur Christmas"
"Captain Phillips"
"Click"
"Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2"
"Django Unchained"
"Friends with Benefits"
"Fury"
"Ghost Rider 2"
"Great Hope Springs"
"Heaven is for Real"
"Here Comes the Boom"
"Just Go With It"
"Moneyball"
"Monster House"
"The Pirates! Band of Misfits"
"Planet B-Boy"
"Pompeii"
"Resident Evil: Retribution"
"RoboCop"
"Salt" 
"Sex Tape"
"Smurfs"
"Smurfs 2"
"Sparkle"
"Stranger than Fiction"
"Talladega Nights"
"The Social Network"
"The Tourist"
"Total Recall"
"Vantage Point"
"White House Down"

SEE ALSO: Sony's list of movies through 2017

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Mark Cuban: 'Hackers Are Going To Want More Trophy Hacks' Like Sony

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Screen Shot 2014 12 21 at 6.49.07 PM

The Sony hack revealed Mark Cuban's personal email address, as well as several confidential emails between himself and executives detailing his displeasure with a salary offered to him for ABC's hit show Shark Tank.

On Sunday, the billionaire told CNN's Reliable Sources that prior to the hack, he had already stopped using email to conduct confidential business interactions and had instead moved to his app Cyber Dust, which he has described as "What's App meets SnapChat."

Cuban was unequivocal about how the hack would affect Hollywood, which has been shocked by the hack, and if it would happen again. 

Here's what he had to say: 

STELTER:  Do you think that will profoundly change in Hollywood as a result of this hack?

CUBAN:  Not until the next one.  And there will be a next one.

STELTER:  It takes one more to change...

CUBAN:  Yes, because everybody will think, look, that's not going to happen to me.  It happens.  Right.  It can't - that's just the way people think.

And now that the hack has gotten so much notoriety and it's had such an impact, you know, that's a chip for any hacker.  That's a trophy hack, and people - hackers are going to want more trophy hacks just to put the trophy on their mantle.

The Sony hack is the second major attack in which hackers targeted American corporate infrastructure on a large scale with the primary goal of destroying it (as opposed to stealing from it or spying on it). 

Dozens of terabytes of information were taken, revealing information including scripts, unreleased movies, actor compensation, and off-the-cuff conversations among high-level Sony executives.

The attack was "far more destructive than any seen before on American soil," intelligence officials have concluded, according to The New York Times

"They caused a lot of damage, and we will respond," President Obama told reporters in an end-of-year news conference. 

"Whoever you send it to now controls that message."

Cuban went on to make statements about the vulnerability involved in all major social media platforms:

STELTER:  It seems like this hack might have been a good thing for you, because you're using it as a chance to promote your app Cyber Dust.

CUBAN:  Right.

STELTER:  You say you're in touch with Sony via this app now.

CUBAN:  Right.

STELTER:  So, you're really negotiating them via an app.

CUBAN:  Sony - well, actually, Mark Burnett's people do most of the negotiations, right?  And so but we also have to incorporate Sony into it.

What went from C.C.ing and Steve and Holly Jacobs and all the whole Sony crew has turned into, OK, I'm only doing it on Cyber Dust.  But I started this before the hack, before there was any awareness of the hack.  It wasn't something in response to the hack.  It something that I had already pushed them to do in the first place, knowing that, look, when you hit send on a tweet, a Facebook post, a text, or an e-mail, the minute you hit send, you lose ownership of it.

Whoever you send it to now controls that message.  They can do whatever they want.  They can put it anywhere they want in any context and you have no idea.  But you don't lose responsibility for that.

Here's the rest of the interview: 

SEE ALSO: Sony Hack Results In The 'Best Week By Far' For Confidential Messaging Apps

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Here's What Will Happen To Joan Rivers' $150 Million Estate

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joan rivers melissa rivers

Joan Rivers is leaving her estimated $150 million fortune to her daughter, grandson, staff, charities, and beloved dogs.

In a will filed in New York earlier this month, it was revealed that Rivers' daughter, Melissa, was named executor of the estate, and will also get all of her mother’s tangible property.

melissa rivers son Cooper joan rivers funeralOther family members set to inherit unspecified amounts are Melissa’s son, Cooper, as well as Rivers’ niece and nephew, Caroline Waxler and Andrew Waxler, all through a blind trust.

Money will also be given to Rivers' longtime assistants Jocelyn Pickett and Sabrina Lott Miller, and her former publicist Scott Currie.

"Nothing can ever make up for the loss I feel every day," Currie told PageSix. "She was such a big part of my life for over 25 years. She was an incredible lady."

Rivers also made sure her four rescue dogs, who now live with her assistant Jocelyn Pickett, were well taken care of.

"I've left money so the dogs can be taken care of," Rivers told the Daily Beast in July. "I've said to Melissa, 'Sell anything and everything you don't want. Don't feel beholden to my possessions.' I feel almost hysterical on that. I don't want them to have a sense of guilt."

"In your 80s, you'd be foolish not to think about that," she added on the topic of death.

Rivers died at age 81 after a complication with a procedure on her vocal cords, but worked until the day she died. 

joan rivers The comedian hosted E!'s "Live from the Red Carpet" from 1996 to 2004 and later became a co-host on E!'s "Fashion Police," which premiered in 2002 and was supposed to shoot the week Rivers died.

In 2009, at the age of 76, Rivers won NBC's "The Celebrity Apprentice." She later starred alongside daughter Melissa in WE TV's "Joan & Melissa: Joan Knows Best?" and constantly made TV cameos on shows like "Louie." 

She has written 13 best-selling books.

joan rivers qvc

But one of Rivers' biggest money-makers was the line of jewelry and other products she designed and sold on QVC

Between her various hosting duties and QVC royalties, it's reported Joan was earning as much as $50 million per year.

"I'm a small industry," Rivers said of her career in the  2010 documentary "Joan Rivers: Piece of Work." "I have an agent, manager, business manager, PR lady, two assistants, and a lawyer. There are certain relatives that I am still supporting, certain friends, most people who work for me — if they have children I send the children to private school. It goes on and on and on. I'm dancing as fast as I can."

Among providing for her loved ones and a penchant for fur coats and the finer things in life, Rivers lived in a $35 million Manhattan apartment where, she joked, "Marie Antoinette would have lived if she had the money."joan rivers apartment

"I live very, very well, I enjoy my creature comforts and I know I have to work for it," Rivers said in the doc. "I can stop and live carefully, but that's ridiculous; I don't want to live carefully. So I would rather work and live the way I live and have a wonderful time."

In her last big interview, Rivers told The Daily Beast in July: "I’m very happy to live in my penthouse, very happy I can pick up a check, very happy to have a great life, and be able to spread my wealth a little bit."

Rivers also left her wealth to numerous charities (via PageSix):

Guide Dogs for the Blind in California; the Queens-based food pantry God’s Love We Deliver, where Joan was a board member; the Jewish Guild for the Blind in Manhattan; the Simon Wiesenthal Center; the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, where Joan served as a spokeswoman; and the Jewish Home and Hospital Foundation in Manhattan.

Read Rivers' will below, which also briefly mentions a forthcoming medical malpractice suit over the comedian's death:

SEE ALSO: Here's How Joan Rivers Pulled Herself Out Of A $37 Million Debt

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12 Former Porn Stars Who Now Lead Boring, Normal Lives

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asia carrera, former porn starEver wonder what porn stars do when they retire from "the business"?

They become real estate agents, authors, activists, private investigators, and your next door neighbor in the 'burbs.

The 2010 documentary "After Porn Ends" caught up with 12 former adult film performers to see where life had taken them. We've tracked down a majority of the film's stars for more recent updates.

Asia Carrera was the first half-Asian female to become an A-list porn star, appearing in 389 videos.



The Mensa International member walked away from a full academic scholarship to college to pursue a career in porn. She enjoyed learning all the crew members' jobs in between scenes.



Today, Asia lives with her two children in Mormon country, Utah, where porn is illegal. She recently made headlines for wearing a colander in her driver's license photo, as a religious statement.

Source: The Spectrum



See the rest of the story at Business Insider






Bruce Willis' Favorite Russian Bank Is Getting A Bailout

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On Monday, the Central Bank of Russia announced that it will be bailing out the first bank of the current ruble crisis, the private lender Trust Bank.

The central bank will provide 30 billion rubles — roughly $530 million — but did not officially say that Trust Bank's problems were linked to the ruble's plunge.

Additionally, the CBR stated that its Deposit Insurance Agency would take over supervision of Trust Bank as of Monday.

Over the past year, the ruble has dropped by 45% against the dollar, and last week was particularly brutal for the currency.

But here's the real story: Bruce Willis is the face of Trust Bank.

Here's what the homepage of the bank's official site looks like.

Bruce willis

And here's a close up of one of the three-rotating images from the homepage.

bruce willis

The greatest holiday gift of them all: joining the Bruce Willis-endorsed bank.bruce willis

A nice Bruce Willis-ed out header.

bruce willis

And here's Bruce Willis in a leather jacket advertising for the Russian bank.

bruce willis

And here's the creme de la creme: you can get yourself a Trust Bank card so that you can carry around Bruce Willis wherever you go. 

bruce willis

We're sold.

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Here Are The 25 New Shows Coming To TV In 2015

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better call saul goodmanIt's winter, which means that it's time for midseason premieres.

Starting next year, we'll see the launch of a whole new crop of series, ranging from multiple crime shows to an experimental mini-series.

You'll see a bunch of familiar faces, including those of Felicity Huffman, Ryan Phillipe, Rainn Wilson, and Amanda Peet.

We'll even have the arrival of the heavily anticipated "Better Call Saul," a prequel to AMC's hit "Breaking Bad."

"Galavant" (ABC)

Stars: Joshua Sasse ("Frankenstein's Army"), Timothy Omundson ("Psych")

Premiere date: Sunday, Jan. 4, at 8 p.m. 

What it's about: ABC will test out a musical fairy-tale comedy following a knight's journey as he tries to rescue his true love from an evil king. The score is by "Beauty & The Beast" composer Alan Menken, and the lyrics are by Glenn Slater ("Tangled").

Watch the trailer here.



"Agent Carter" (ABC)

Stars: Hayley Atwell ("Captain America: The Winter Soldier") James D'Arcy ("Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World"), Chad Michael Murray ("One Tree Hill")

Premiere date: Tuesday, Jan. 6, at 9 p.m.

What it's about: Peggy Carter (Atwell) must lead a double life as an admin and as a secret agent. If the character sounds familiar, it's because Carter is from Marvel's "Captain America" series. The show is also connected to its lead-in, "Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D."

Watch the trailer here.



"Empire" (FOX)

Stars: Taraji P. Henson ("Hustle and Flow"), Terrence Howard ("Hustle and Flow"), Gabourey Sidibe ("Precious: Based on The Novel Push by Sapphire")

Premiere date: Wednesday, Jan. 7, at 9 p.m.

What it's about: This musical family drama follows what happens when a hip-hop record company's charismatic CEO (Howard) learns he has ALS. It will also be set to a hip-hop soundtrack.

Watch the trailer here.



See the rest of the story at Business Insider






Sony Just Hired The Real Olivia Pope To Help With Its PR Disaster

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After a nightmarish past three weeks, Sony is finally seeking some crisis PR.

"Sony has hired crisis management expert Judy Smith — the inspiration for Kerry Washington's Scandal character, Olivia Pope — to help advise Amy Pascal [Sony co-chair] and the studio on its message and next steps," The Hollywood Reporter confirmed.

Judy Smith

Smith, who runs Smith & Company  one of the premiere crisis management firms in the country — has been focusing on dealing with the criticism after Sony pulled "The Interview" from theaters.

According to TMZ, who broke the story: "Our sources tell us Smith has been especially helpful to Sony because of her deep contacts with the government, and she has been involved on both the D.C. and Hollywood fronts. Smith and other members of the Sony crisis team have been behind some of the recent messaging ... that this is not just a Sony issue but an industry issue ... and that Sony's decision was in large part to protect the safety and welfare of its employees."

On Friday, President Obama said in a press conference that "Sony made a mistake" by canceling "The Interview." Sony then issued a statement assuring that the studio had not "caved," as the president suggested, but were instead forced to pull the controversial flick after major theater chains backed out of showing it.

And now Smith has been brought on to deal with the he said/she said aftermath.

Smith previously worked as deputy press secretary to President George H.W. Bush before starting her own crisis management firm, Smith & Company. Her website states she's on "speed dial for some of the highest-profile celebrities, politicians and corporations in the world."  Her past clients have included Monica Lewinsky, Wesley Snipes, Michael Vick, and the family of Chandra Levy.

Smith's life is the inspiration for the lead character, Olivia Pope, on ABC's hit show "Scandal," a popular show about a political fixer. Smith is a co-executive producer on the show. 

SEE ALSO: SONY FIRES BACK AT OBAMA: 'We Are Still Looking Into Release On Other Platforms'

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Here's The Crafty Way Angelina Jolie Convinced Universal Execs To Let Her Direct 'Unbroken'

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angelina jolie

Angelina Jolie sat down with Tom Brokaw on the "Today" show in February to discuss "Unbroken," the upcoming Christmas Day movie she directed about the incredible life of former Olympic runner and legendary World War II hero, Louis Zamperini.

Angelina Jolie tech room tom brokaw"This has been the hardest thing I’ve ever done," Jolie revealed.

So how did the actress, with just one director credit under her belt, land the directing gig of the film adaptation of the best-selling book of the same name? 

"I had all the hours of phone calls and things and made all these boards, I took my glue and tape and pictures off the internet — and I put all my boards in a garbage bag and I carried them to Universal myself and put them out and I pitched my butt off!"

"I felt such a huge responsibility to get it right," Jolie said. "I love him [Zamperini] so much and he’s helped me so much in my life."

Ironically, the 39-year-old Hollywood starlet and the late Zamperini were closer to each other before filming than they even realized. Zamperini’s home overlooked Jolie’s in the Hollywood Hills.

"I imagine that for the last 10-something years, he’s been sitting there having a coffee in the morning and wondering who’s going to make this movie!" Jolie exclaimed. "And I’ve been sitting in my room laying there thinking, 'What am I supposed to be doing with my life? I wanna do something important. I need some help. I need some guidance. Where is it?' And it was right outside my window."

Watch Tom Brokaw interview Angelina Jolie and Louis Zamperini below.

SEE ALSO: Sony Hack: Producer Called Angelina Jolie A 'Minimally Talented Spoiled Brat'

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Why Nintendo’s Next Console Needs A Great Controller

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wii u gamepadI purchased a Wii U late last month mainly so I could play it with my brother. We both grew up playing Nintendo games, and I wanted to be able to play the latest “Super Smash Bros.” with him when he came home this past weekend. 

To me, the Wii U is what the Wii should have always been: Great graphics playing at a high frame rate, resulting in superior gameplay.

And yet, I wish Nintendo focused on simplicity instead of gimmicks.

Like the Wii, the Wii U will be remembered not for its games, but for its controller: The Wii had the Wiimote, and the Wii U has the GamePad, a tablet-like controller with a massive 6.2-inch screen smack dab in the middle of your hands. Extra buttons, joysticks and triggers line the outside of the screen.

nintendo-wii-u-gamepadNintendo’s heart was in the right place with the Gamepad: The idea was if your parents or loved ones wanted to watch TV at the same time you wanted to play Wii U, the entire Wii U library could be played directly on the GamePad, thus freeing up the TV screen for others.

But in the month I’ve owned this console, I’ve never used this feature. If I’m playing a game, I want to play it on the biggest screen possible. Sure, everything looks really crisp on the GamePad, but I can’t imagine playing a full game on that thing while people around me are watching or doing something else. (Frankly, I think that focuses on the wrong thing: If other people around you want to do something else, you should probably put down the controller for awhile and join them.)

But here’s why I’m focusing on the controller, instead of the games: Nintendo’s chief game designer Shigeru Miyamoto — the creator of Mario, Zelda, Donkey Kong, and countless other iconic mascots — says Nintendo “has groups working on ideas for new hardware systems.”

“While we’re busy working on software for the Wii U, we have production lines that are working on ideas for what the next system should be,” Miyamoto told the Associated Press.

In other words, Nintendo’s next system is not set in stone. And that’s a good thing.

super smash brosFor the first time in four years, Nintendo is on track to see full-year profit. But that’s only because in the last six months, Nintendo has released a new “Mario Kart” game, two new Pokemon games and two new “Super Smash Bros.” games. And with teases for new “Legend of Zelda” and “Star Fox” games on the horizon, Nintendo has given fans plenty of incentive to buy a Wii U right now.

It’s never been a secret that Nintendo’s special sauce is its first-party titles: Mario, Zelda, Pokemon, Donkey Kong. In other words, Nintendo’s main source of income is nostalgia.

Meanwhile, Sony’s PlayStation and Microsoft’s Xbox consoles continue to eclipse the Wii U, in terms of sales. The main reason? Some of the biggest games don’t come to the Wii U, simply because it would mean development teams would have to completely rewrite most of their games to fit Nintendo’s ultra-specific ecosystem, which is not only lower tech, but completely different in terms of controls.

So, it seems controls are the main sticking points with third-party developers, as well as longtime fans.

nintendo-controller-succession

Check out this GIF of how Nintendo’s controllers have evolved over the years. What started as simple rectangles and a few buttons quickly evolved into all sorts of interesting shapes and styles. The last two designs — the Wiimote and the GamePad — are clearly the most outlandish.

WiiOutlandish game controllers can sometimes result in interesting gameplay experiences for fans — emphasis on “sometimes” — but not enough games take advantage of this uniqueness. And in the end, it’s kind of a lose-lose: Developers have to work extra hard to port their games to the Wii U, and gamers will probably need to buy another console if they want to enjoy all the best games (PlayStation and Xbox usually get the same titles due to their similar architectures and control schemes).

Nintendo is more or less a silo. It prefers to think of itself as the Apple of gaming: Innovative, fully integrated hardware and software, with little outside help.

But by rejecting smartphone platforms and designing its consoles and controllers to be incompatible with most others out there, Nintendo relies heavily on its first-party titles like Pokemon and Mario.

Those franchises may never get old, but what if they do? What if those games receive poor reviews? At that point, what would Nintendo do without its bread and butter?

It’s fine Nintendo wants to distance itself from the pack, but it shouldn’t do so at gamers’ expense. Motion controls and tablet interfaces are fun in a few instances, but they’re mostly gimmicks. I would be perfectly happy if Nintendo decided to return to the GameCube controller, for instance. It still allowed me to enjoy all of Nintendo’s games (and plenty of other third-party titles), it was unique, and boy was it comfortable. My brother and I could play that console for hours.

SEE ALSO: The Best Video Games Of 2014 — RANKED

SEE ALSO: 10 Reasons To Buy A Wii U Right Now

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Wall Street Doesn't Think The Sony Hacks Are A Big Problem For The Industry

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Kim Jung Un North Korea Computers

The recent hack on Sony, and the company's subsequent decision to delay the release of its movie "The Interview" is turning into a costly headache.

Film financiers are surely on edge.

But Wall Street's industry analysts aren't phased, and they don't seem to believe this the hacks will be a problem for the media industry overall.

Weeks have passed since news of the hacks broke. Yet, analysts haven't made any major adjustments to earnings expectations for the media industry during the fourth quarter or the full year, according to FactSet's John Butters.

Since November 28, analysts estimates for Q4 earnings have been unchanged. Further, analysts estimate media industry earnings will fall by a mere 0.07% in 2015.

"In terms of ratings, analysts have become slightly more negative on this industry since November 28," writes Butters. "The overall percentage of Buy ratings declined to 53% from 54% during this time frame, while the percentage of Holdings increased to 43% from 42% during this time frame. The percentage of Sell ratings remained unchanged at 3%."

So bottom line is: Wall Street's lack of response reflects that they don't really see the recent events as a major issue for the media industry overall.

sony s&P 500 Over the past several weeks, Sony has been the subject of cyber attacks that have shut down the company's computer system and revealed employees' personal information.

New information has been continuously leaked by a group that calls themselves "Guardians of Peace." It's unclear who's in the group, but the FBI has blamed North Korea.

The hackers threatened to carry out terrorist attacks against movie theaters, and included the line "Remember the 11th of September 2001" in that message.

Since then, Sony has canceled the December 25th release of the "The Interview" — a move that was criticized by Obama last Friday.

SEE ALSO: Russian Bank Manager: 'This Is The End Of The Banking System'

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It Sounds Like ‘The Interview’ May Not Be Released On Sony’s Streaming Site Crackle

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the interview james franco seth rogen

According to Sony, we’ll see “The Interview” soon, but probably not on its free streaming platform Crackle.

Sony Pictures CEO Michael Lynton told NPR they are “actively exploring” ways to release the controversial film about two journalists who head to North Korea on a secret mission to assassinate leader Kim Jong-Un. 

Sony canceled the Dec. 25 release of the film after receiving a message from hackers threatening harm to theaters showing the film. Subsequently, multiple big theater chains decided to pull the comedy.

Here's what Lynton said on NPR's "All Things Considered" Friday when asked about a video-on-demand release for the film:

We don't have any takers — neither on the video demand side nor on the e-commerce side. People have been generally fearful about the possibility of their systems being corrupted, and so there have been a lot of conversations about the robustness of various systems to be able to make sure they're not hacked, if and when we put the movie out digitally.

I shouldn't say if — when. We would very much like that to happen. But we do need partners to make that happen. We ourselves do not have a distribution platform to put the movie out.

That last line is curious considering Sony owns a streaming distribution platform called Crackle which is similar to Hulu.

The New York Post suggested Sony would release the film on Crackle for free, citing unnamed sources.

However, since Crackle is a free service, funded completely by ads and commercials, that may not be the best option for Sony who could lose close to $200 million on "The Interview," according to a report from Bloomberg.

Another possibility would be distributing "The Interview" through Sony's PlayStation console systems. PlayStation has its own store which could rent or sell the film for users to download.

Lynton told NPR that's another avenue "that can be explored."

Releasing the film through Sony's PlayStation Network may alienate many people without a PlayStation from seeing the film. The PlayStation Network has also been susceptible to hacks as recent as earlier this month.

"I think in general we need to bring together a coalition of platforms to make this operate properly," Lynton added.

Sony Pictures Entertainment lawyer David Boies also said the film will be distributed on Sunday's "Meet the Press," but showed uncertainty in how it will be delivered to the public. 

"It will be distributed," said Boies. "How it's going to be distributed I don't think anybody knows quite yet. But it's going to be distributed." 

You can listen to Lynton's full NPR interview here.

SEE ALSO: Sony and the White House are telling different versions of the same story

AND: More than 50 Sony movie scripts leak online

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'Shark Tank' Investor Daymond John Explains What He Learned From Losing $6 Million

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Looking back on his career, "Shark Tank" investor Daymond John realized that no amount of money could buy a company success.

When John founded his fashion company Fubu in 1992 out of the Queens home he grew up in, he had nothing. He and his mother mortgaged the house to supply Fubu with $100,000 to meet a growing demand for its clothes.

By 1998, Fubu was the brand of choice for many of America's top rappers, and it brought in $350 million in revenue. But just five years later, John writes in his book "The Brand Within," he and his team had gotten ahead of themselves and ended up with a surplus of out-of-trend clothes in bargain bins

John says that, before it faded, Fubu became the massive success that it was because he started off broke. He needed to make maximum use of every dollar he spent, he told Business Insider at the 2014 Hennessy Privilege Awards in an interview about his coming book "The Power of Broke."

One of the hardest and most expensive lessons John learned in his career, he says, was managing the fashion label Heatherette into the ground several years after partnering with its founders Traver Rains and Richie Rich.

John considers Rains and Rich to be "two amazing designers" but lacking as managers. Heatherette specialized in women's clothing, an industry in which John was inexperienced. He figured that if he supplied Rains and Rich with enough resources and funding, they could take care of everything else.

"Six million dollars later, we didn't have a business," John says. The designers indulged in extravagant costume clothing for the runway but failed to develop a hot ready-to-wear retail line.

"We thought we could just throw people at it, throw money at advertising, [but it] didn't move the needle. It was just us lying to ourselves," John says. "Not that we were lazy. We tried to put in the work. But the money never made the difference."

Now, on ABC's hit show "Shark Tank" and through his company Shark Branding, John invests in entrepreneurs who aren't simply looking for a dose of capital.

"The philosophy of 'The Power of Broke' is, whether you're running a Fortune 100 company or you are just starting out, you have to be creative and determined, and you have to make sure that — instead of other people's money — you use other people's marketing, mind power, manpower, [and] manufacturing," he says. "And if you can't prove your concept when you're broke, you won't be able to prove it with money either."


NOW WATCH: Barbara Corcoran Explains Why Office Romance Is Fine

SEE ALSO: Daymond John Reveals What It's Like Being A 'Shark Tank' Investor

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Here's Video Of That Bonkers $70 Million Mansion That The Minecraft Creator Bought, Outbidding Jay Z And Beyoncé

Law Students Identified Another Possible Suspect In The 'Serial' Murder Case

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Ronal Lee More

Listeners (predictably) didn't get a definitive answer on who killed Baltimore teenager Hae Min Lee on the season one finale of the wildly popular "Serial" podcast, but the head of the University of Virginia's Innocence Project told TIME that her team of law students has identified another suspect who could be linked to the crime.

Season one of "Serial" examined whether Adnan Syed killed his high school ex-girlfriend in 1999. Hae was found strangled in a Baltimore park a few weeks after she and Adnan broke up.

Adnan is currently imprisoned for her murder, but he maintains his innocence.

The lack of physical evidence linking Adnan to the crime led "Serial" host and journalist Sarah Koenig to question whether he really killed Hae.

The prosecutor on the case argued that Adnan was angry that Hae had moved on after their breakup and started dating someone else. But Adnan — and those who knew him and Hae in high school — said their breakup was pretty normal and that Adnan had also moved on afterward.

In one episode of the podcast, Koenig discussed the case with Deirdre Enright, the head of the Innocence Project at UVA, which works to free those who have been wrongfully convicted. Her team decided to take on Adnan's case.

Enright told TIME that her team identified another potential suspect, Ronald Lee Moore, who was released from prison 10 days before Hae was murdered. Moore was identified as a suspect in another 1999 murder earlier this year. The murder remained a cold case for years until DNA evidence implicated Moore.

He killed himself in 2012.

Adnan footballThe Innocence Project is now seeking to get untested physical evidence from Hae's case tested to see if there's a match to any other suspect.

One potential problem with Moore as a suspect is that the other crimes he was tied to involved sex assault, and there wasn't definitive evidence to show that Hae was sexually assaulted before or after she was murdered.

Another problem with the Moore theory is that one of Adnan's high school friends, Jay, testified that he helped Adnan dispose of Hae's body and was able to lead police to her car after she was found dead. Enright doesn't have a clear explanation for that.

But Enright pointed out to TIME that the physical evidence from Hae's rape kit was never tested.

"What we know is that Hae had her clothes on, although I know her shirt and bra had been moved up," Enright said. "And her skirt was on but pushed up. ... There were hairs on her body, two of which were microscopically compared to Adnan, and he was excluded and they didn’t belong to her either."

Moore's prior charges range from simple burglary to rape, according to L'Observateur.

Enright told TIME that her team is looking at other potential suspects in Hae's murder but can't name them because they are still living.

The physical evidence will take months to process, so it seems that Adnan's story will not end with the final episode of season one of "Serial."

SEE ALSO: Redditors Are Trying To Solve A Murder That's At The Center Of The Wildly Popular 'Serial' Podcast

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HOUSE OF THE DAY: Matt Damon Has Finally Sold His Miami Beach Mansion For $15 Million

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matt damon house of the day

Hollywood A-Lister Matt Damon has finally sold his stunning Miami Beach mansion Marabella for $15 million, according to South Florida Business Journal.

The actor listed the seven-bedroom home back in March 2013 with celebrity broker The Jills

He bought the 12,700-square-foot Marabella in 2005 for $10.3 million, and has been adding to the property's acreage ever since.

The home sold to Patrick Markert, the CEO of AmeriSave Mortgage, according to The Real Deal.

Matt Damon's former mansion sits in an exclusive Miami Beach neighborhood.

 



The home was built in 1935 and is right on the waterfront.

 



The Mediterranean-style pad has two stories.

 



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Downloads Of Confide, Cyber Dust, And Other Confidential Messaging Apps Going Nuts After Sony Hack

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Mark Cuban

The recent Sony Pictures hack has everyone thinking of what would happen if all their private emails and messages were leaked, and that means business is booming for confidential messaging apps.

"We continue to see a big surge in downloads," Mark Cuban tells Business Insider.

Cuban's app, Cyber Dust, is described as "WhatsApp meets Snapchat," and allows users to send messages and photos that self-destruct after 30 seconds.

Cuban is also a prime example of how some confidential messaging apps are now more secure and off-the-record than email clients. Just last week, hackers released an email conversation between Cuban and Sony Pictures Television President Steve Mosko, where it was revealed Cuban wasn't happy with his compensation on Shark Tank.

Cuban says it could have been worse.

"I moved the negotiations for Shark Tank to Cyber Dust before the hack," Cuban said, pointing out that only the negotiations carried out over email leaked, while the rest carried out through his app remain safe. "The fact they remain private proves it works."

Cyber Dust app

Other confidential messaging apps like Confide have also seen a big spike in downloads as people search for a solution that will keep their messages safe.

"I would be comfortable saying best week by far across all metrics," Confide cofounder Jon Brod tells Business Insider.

Confide's killer feature is its screenshot protection, which forces users to drag a finger across each word to reveal the message beneath.

Confide app GIF

This makes it extremely difficult to take screenshots, as only part of the message is visible at any time, and multiple screenshots are impossible as each message self-destructs as soon as the first screenshot is detected.

But while confidential messaging apps like Confide and Cyber Dust are great for the average conversation, people use email very differently than a messaging app. For example, many of the emails between Sony execs and the directors, actors, and startup founders they were conducting business with often discussed a contract or referenced past emails, which can be tough to transfer into the instant-message style of apps like Cyber Dust or Confide.

So where's the email version of these apps?

Cuban didn't specify if an email version of Cyber Dust was being developed, but he did recommend using an application like Blue Stacks, which allows users to use their smartphone apps on their desktop or laptop computer. 

ip6Unfortunately, creating a screenshot-proof, self-destructing email app brings with it additional challenges.

Confide's screenshot prevention trick hinges on the limited functionality of smartphones. But it's far easier to use your mouse to take a quick screenshot of your computer's screen — and there's just more room for people to get creative and take advantage of loopholes.

"We are very focused on the question of photos and documents," Brod tells us. "We are working on desktop because we think that's incredibly relevant and important to our target audience. We are very enamored with email, such that we have begun a level of Confide integration into email."

Jeff Grossman, Confide's chief product officer, mentioned two separate challenges with integrating Confide into email: There's end-to-end encryption, and then the disappearing and screenshot-proof part. Grossman says not only does the email server responsible for transporting emails need to be encrypted, but in order for emails to self-destruct, "you need to be able to trust any clients that interact with the service."

There are plenty of additional technical challenges to be worked out before we see a Confide email version hit the market, but the Confide team knows the demand has never been greater.

"Yes there are technical challenges in all of this," Brod says, "but I think we've done a decent job overcoming those."

In the meantime, if you or your company is looking for a safe way to communicate, you can download Confide right here and Cyber Dust here.

SEE ALSO: 10 Secret Features Hidden In Your Mac

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How An Indie Band Lost $12,000 On Tour And Still Called It A Success

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Jack Conte of indie band Pomplamoose recently released the musical duo's tour financials on Medium, following a 28-day tour with 24 shows in 23 US cities. Conte and Nataly Dawn, known for their quirky covers and multi-instrumentalist leanings, have amassed a legion of loyal followers and, through the release of these figures, a lot of controversy as well.

Some have said the numbers show poor planning, while others pointed to alleged conflict of interest for a side business that Conte owns (seemingly negated by Conte's statement that he neither draws a salary as CEO of said company, nor hid his affiliation), while others applauded the bands attempt at transparency.

The highlight of the tour, Conte says, was selling just under $100,000 worth of tickets overall and 1,129 tickets for one night at legendary San Francisco venue, the Fillmore. While not exactly Taylor Swift numbers, that figure positions Pomplamoose in the music middle class, those people who, though not household names, are still managing to eek out a living with a strong following.

For a band that has 25 videos with over 1 million views on Youtube (at least three of which are closer to 10 million views), the online fame can be misleading. Conte says he often gets asked how it feels to have "made it." He sees this as more of an old-industry adage, and that the term — making it, with its active and necessary agency — better applies.

The recent tour is case in point: By the time Pomplamoose departed for their first tour date, Dawn and Conte had already charged $24,000 between two separate credit cards for tour-related expenses that required advances. 

Screen Shot 2014 12 17 at 1.01.48 PM

Here is the breakdown of the band's tour financials (Note: Though the band is a duo, for this tour they hired 6 additional people to tour with them):

Expenses

$26,450- Production expense: equipment rental, lights, lighting board, van rental, trailer rental, road cases, backline.

$17,589- Hotels and food: Two people per room, 4 rooms per night (Best Western level), 28 nights for tour plus a week of rehearsals.

$11,186- Misc. Travel- Airfare, gas, tolls, and related car expenses 

$5,445- Insurance: Medical

$48,094- Salaries and per diems

-$16,463- Commissions: Booking Agency, Business Management and payroll, Lawyer

Total Tour Expenses: $147,802

Income

$97,519- Ticket sales (after applicable venue fees): 72% of tour income.

$29,714- Merchandise Sales (Hats, T-shirts, CDs, posters): 22% of tour income

$8,750-Partial Sponsorship from Lenovo for technology that assisted with their light show

 Total Tour Income: $135, 983

 $135,983 Total Income

-$147, 802 Total Expenses

(-$11,819) Ouch.

A nearly $12,000 loss in a month can be hard on any small business.

Despite the loss, the band does not see the negative number as indicative of a losing endeavor. Conte says he knew the risks going into the tour and sees various ways they could have saved money. He says they could have saved $50,000 off the top by performing as a duo rather than touring with six people, for example. By touring with this size and delivering a bigger show, however, the band felt better positioned to "put on a wild and crazy show" that would assure concert venues asked them back and concert-goers returned with friends.

Which brings up another point, this is not the band's sole revenue stream: At present, Conte and Dawn each make approximately $2,500 off of iTunes sales per month. While not a windfall, it is a healthy pre-tax $30,000 each for doing what they love. All for a band still on their ascent, making tougher gambles now in hopes of later payoff.

For his part, Conte says his hope in sharing these numbers "is not to dissuade, but to shine light on a new paradigm for professional artistry." Though the tour taking a loss is not necessarily good, the band was able to pursue art on its own terms and earned enough to keep performing. 

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Singer Amanda Palmer — herself no stranger to controversy at the intersections of art and commerce —  has offered her own take on subsequent backlash to the band with an article in The Guardian about the risks of even admitting that art and commerce ever meet. She says, "if there was any naiveté in Jack’s post, it wasn’t in how the band spent their money but rather in his assumption that a compassionate universe was ready to accept his transparency as an important contribution to the music information economy."

Palmer argues that it is the art vs. commerce dynamic that fans have a hard time with, and which creates a double standard unique to art industries. She says, "you’re damned if you play by the rules, and you’re damned if you find a creative way to thwart them." In music, there used to be a company that would stand between the artist and the end user, allowing the artist to seem clean and uninvolved in (or unconcerned with) business matters. The modern independent artist is allowed no such illusions. For her part, Palmer says, "transparency is beautiful, but it's expensive."

As more and more people start to weigh in on both the wisdom of how the tour money was spent and the reason for sharing the numbers at all, one thing is clear: Many would have paid far more than $11,819 for the level of exposure Conte's article has garnered for the band. If viewing this article as the last thing Conte did after putting away the drums — consider it your standard if public post-mortem — the tour was most certainly a success.

SEE ALSO: I've Abandoned iTunes Because Google Music Is So Much Better

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Here's Your First Good Look At 'Breaking Bad' Prequel 'Better Call Saul'

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better call saul

AMC just debuted a new teaser trailer for "Better Call Saul" which gives us our first real look at the "Breaking Bad" spin-off.

The prequel, which will premiere on AMC in February, will star Bob Odenkirk as he reprises his role of everyone's favorite sleazy criminal lawyer Saul Goodman. Jonathan Banks will also return to play his "Breaking Bad" character Mike Ehrmantraut.

AMC has been rolling out a few new teasers for the show's premiere in February.

One of the newest, featuring Saul's dry-cleaned shirt at a laundromat, gives fans a real-working phone number they can call which leads to Goodman's voicemail. 

It's a real treat for fans of the show and goes on for a little while.

saul goodman phone number

Dial 505-503-4455 for the Easter Egg. Diehard fans will notice it's a New Mexico number, which is where "Better Call Saul" takes place.

"Better Call Saul" will have a two-part premiere. The first episode will premiere Feb. 8 at 10 p.m. following the return of "The Walking Dead." The show will then air the following night Monday at 10 p.m. which will become its regular night on the network.

Here are a few images of Goodman from the new teaser:

better call saul

It doesn't look like things are going over so well for Goodman, here.better call saul car

That looks like the confident lawyer we know.saul goodman better call saul

There are a few images of Goodman in the courtroom showing off his charm.better call saul bob odenkirk

Brownie points if you noticed Saul's real name taped to this door: Jimmy McGill.better call saul james mcgill

SEE ALSO: All the new shows coming to TV next year

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Sony Reportedly Tried To Get Dish Network To Release 'The Interview'

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the interview james franco

Sony is actively pursuing a way to release its shelved Christmas movie "The Interview."

Fox Business News reports Sony attempted to work out a deal with Dish Network over the weekend to release the James Franco and Seth Rogen comedy.

However, Dish Network chairman Charlie Ergen passed on the deal for "unspecified reasons."

The release would have allowed the film to be available by Christmas Day, according to FBN.

Sony pulled the Dec. 25 theatrical release of "The Interview," about two journalists on a mission to assassinate Kim Jong-un, after receiving threats of harm to theaters screening the film.

Since then, Sony has been pursuing an outlet on which to distribute the comedy.

Sony Pictures lawyer David Boies told "Meet the Press" Sunday the film will be eventually be released.

Monday, a group of independent theaters known as The Art House Convergence expressed interest to Sony in an open letter to screen the film.

"Game of Thrones" author George R.R. Martin has also offered his independent theater in Santa Fe, New Mexico to screen the movie.

SEE ALSO: George R.R. Martin slams Sony for canceling "The Interview"

AND: It sounds like "The Interview" may not be released on Sony's streaming site Crackle

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Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson: At 23, I Had Only $7 In My Pocket — Then I Turned My Life Around

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In TNT's new show "Wake Up Call," Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson lends a helping hand to everyday people who are facing enormous challenges in their lives. From dysfunctional homes and dead-beat dads to sports teams that don't gel and businesses struggling to survive. 

Produced by Devan Joseph. Video courtesy of Associated Press.

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