back to article Pirate Bay dishes up Iron Man 2 ahead of US release

Iron Man 2 is the latest Hollywood blockbuster to be leaked onto The Pirate Bay ahead of the movie’s official release in the US. The film’s studio actually spun out the release early internationally in a move to big up interest in the sequel ahead of next month’s World Cup tournament. However, the North American audience won’ …

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  1. Anonymous Coward
    Dead Vulture

    This is news how?

    Since for once the US is getting treated the way the rest of the world are with most other releases.

    1. MonkeyBot

      This is news, and how?

      Haven't you just answered your own question?

  2. irish donkey
    Stop

    Nobody downloads 'CAMS'

    As they are crap but I'm sure this will be held up by the RIAA as another excuse to tighten the noose on their legions of fans.

    Maybe even get the Piratebay blocked in the UK. With the unlimited powers they now have to change UK Law any excuse will be used

    1. Anonymous Coward
      WTF?

      Really?

      Over 10,000 seeders on one "cam" that no-one downloads, with reviews suggesting the picture and audio quality are perfectly acceptable for home viewing...

    2. ElReg!comments!Pierre

      Actually people do download screeners

      And then they go see it in a theatre anyway for the nice image on a big screen with good sound. Unless it is so abundantly clear from the downloade3d version that the movie is a huge steaming pile of crap. In that case they go see it _twice_.

  3. Alexander Kaye
    Thumb Down

    well......

    it's a video camera in the cinema job rather than a dvd quality copy like the Wolverine copy not so long ago.

    and it's appearing on almost every torrent site like a video camera rip appears of every movie every weekend. Don't think it's particularly specific to the pirate bay.

    Slow news day ?

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Incomplete version?

    So what else happens in the film than happens in the so called shaky-camera-pointed-at-screen version?

    Seems that they will say that to get people into cinemas rather than download a dodgy version. It wont work for many people. It isnt about the content, its about the fact it's free.

    Still, watching mickey rourke speaking english in a terrible russian accent while being subtitled in actual russian would be a good laugh (assuming that happens in the dodgy version...ahem).

    I can't wait to watch it (looks nervously around).

    AC for obvious reasons.

    1. Steven Raith

      Incomplete?

      I think they are referring to the X-men leak, which was without some special effects and needed some final editing.

      AFAIK the Iron Man II rip is the full cinema cut - IE the final version being distributed to the local Odeon, or at least the russian/whatever region one that has been ripped and presumably dubbed in english.

      HTH.

      Steven R

  5. Craig 12

    Bad move

    I don't understand why they did this. Surely a week doesn't make much difference towards the world cup, which is still ages away. All the pirated stuff comes from Russia doesn't it, so this situation was bound to arise.

    The old school argument for the release delays was having to ship psychical reel around. I saw a digital projection of Iron Man 2 at the weekend, so this is clearly not an issue for cinemas (who have stumped up for modern kit).

    A film as 'big' as this should have got a simultaneous world wide release.

    1. Tzael
      Pirate

      Re: Bad move

      "All the pirated stuff comes from Russia doesn't it"

      Ahem. Most of the pirated materials circulated for Western consumers is 'stolen' domestically.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    In other news... Flour identified as key ingredient in Bread shocker!

    Umm, hardly news really, there is regularly copies of films available on a wide variety of Torrent aggregator sites ahead of official release dates.. some dodgy quality - some verging on perfection...

    A friend of mine (cough cough) has watched at least 5 films ahead of their cinematic debut in the last year. I seem to recall that there was a "workprint" of Bourne ultimatum that was essentially the full film in glorious quality except for a time counter on the bottom..

    anyone wanting to research this should look at the likes of super fundo - my friend hasn't looked lately, and i of course would never do such a thing... but i'd be surprised if there wasn't a few items there...

  7. hyper_somniac

    Does it matter?

    Surely no one is watching a video cam version as a replacement to going to the cinema.

    It might actually increase interest in someone who had a look at the poor quality leaked version, but would otherwise have no interest in watching it at the cinema.

    1. Goat Jam
      Pirate

      Indeed

      "It might actually increase interest in someone who had a look at the poor quality leaked version, but would otherwise have no interest in watching it at the cinema."

      Of course, this is self evident to normal, thinking human beings.

      It is a problem however, for those who are in the habit of regularly produce worthless dreck. These screeners allow punters to identify the dreck early on thereby avoiding paying money to keep the nose candy flowing into Hollywood.

      Of course the big studios don't like that.

      No sireee Bob, they don't like that one little bit.

  8. Sir Runcible Spoon

    Sir

    I went to see this on Friday and it's a great film.

    A big screen viewing is highly recommended regardless of the quality of the torrents.

    Mind you, now that I've seen it and supported the film industry yada yada I wouldn't mind seeing it at home with the leisure to pause it and get another beer from the fridge :) but I don't think I'll bother with any cam recordings of it.

    I reckon anyone watching the dodgy copies will no doubt want to go and see it at the cinema straight away to enjoy it in all it's glory - sort of like an advert for the real thing :)

    </blaspheme>

    1. Marvin the Martian
      Paris Hilton

      Pause for thought and beer?

      If this action film is such that you'd rather stop, slouch to fridge and drink a beer [how about planning ahead and get a crate next to the couch?] than stay involved in the story, then it seems to have been a bad film.

      1. Sir Runcible Spoon

        Sir

        It's a fun film, sure, but if I need to take a wizz after drinking the COLD beer from the fridge, then nature takes precedence.

        Are you telling me that if you're watching a good film at home you'd rather piss your pants than pause the movie? :P

  9. Winkypop Silver badge
    FAIL

    It's a screener

    Who d/ls a screener?

    1. David Simpson 1
      Thumb Down

      Nope it's a CAM

      It's called a CAM, because they are usually shot on a handycam with great shots of people leaving to piss.

      A screener is usually a copy sent out for Oscar consideration or other promotional uses and a screener is generally almost DVD quality just with a few warning signs or counters.

      You sir FAIL.

      1. Winkypop Silver badge
        Alert

        Charming

        You say tomAto, I say tomArto.....and all that.

  10. Dave 52

    BS

    Paramount wants to back stab its home audience, then it should be punished with lower ticket sales in North America. I call on all North Americans to boycott this film in theatres and wait for a decent telesync copy to show up on torrent sites.

    1. DavCrav

      As opposed to backstabbing everyone else?

      Release it at the same time everywhere. Not that big of a deal.

      Steve

      Sent from my iPhone

    2. Rattus Rattus

      Backstab? Boycott? Puh-lease.

      It's just how the rest of the world is made to wait (usually longer than this) for EVERY movie. If you want to boycott because of the industry's habit of suing their customers or calling them thieves, go right ahead. But it sounds a bit like a tantrum to call for a boycott just because the US gets a tiny taste of what it's like everywhere else.

  11. Kebabster
    FAIL

    @Winkypop

    Someone who can tell the difference between "screener" and "cam" at a guess...

  12. Anonymous Coward
    Grenade

    Rubbish film anyway!

    As a big IM fan from the comics and after much enjoying the first one, saw the sequel on Friday and was so disappointed, left the cinema before the final snooze fest...

    They probably released it in Europe, etc. first to stop people reading the negative US reviews... ;)

    1. Sir Runcible Spoon

      Sir

      Then you would have missed the extra scene right after the credits.

      Oh, wait, you don't care. Ah well, everyone's a critic :)

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        @Sir Runcible Spoon

        There is a problem with a lot of films showing scenes after the credits. Can be annoying after you've walked out the cinema.

        But thinking of getting *cough download cough* to check the credits on Kick Ass for extra scenes as my local cut them off completely as they were running late.

        1. Sir Runcible Spoon

          Sir

          The extra scene just sets up the sequel a bit. I only saw it coz I watched the whole film whilst a bit squiffy and needed the time to re-synch myself with the real world - that and the fact there were a dozen or so kids waiting about - they seemed to have an idea there was going to be an extra scene judging by their cries of delight when it appeared :)

          1. Sarah Bee (Written by Reg staff)

            Re: Sir

            Post-credit scenes are brilliant. I always stay till the end of the credits anyway, I find it relaxing - it's a bit like a decompression chamber before you have to trudge out into *the brutal and cold real world* and that.

    2. bex

      panned

      the reviews /i have seen in the UK all mark it right down, Funny that on rotten tomatoes its on 72% fresh, maybe they saw a different movie

    3. David Adams
      Thumb Up

      My opinion

      Thought it was better than the first.

      Never going to win any awards for being ground breaking cinema, but it's a good kick ass movie.

      Bit disappointed that half the scenes shown in the trailer weren't actually in the film though.

      Suppose we will be getting a directors cut at some point.

  13. amanfromMars 1 Silver badge

    Change the Films .... Change Life and Create AIdDynamic Viral Master Piece for Mastering Peace

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  14. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    @davcrav

    Releasing a film everywhere at the same time is technically feasible I suppose, but promoting the launches (including getting the stars to attend red carpet premieres around the world), would be tricky - even in a flying iron suit.

    1. Rattus Rattus

      Red carpet premieres

      Nobody really cares about "red carpet premieres" or where in the world the actors (I refuse to call them stars) are at the time. That sort of thing is for Hollywood where all the industry bods can congratulate each other in a big media-attended circle-jerk. We just want to see the film.

    2. DavCrav

      How many red-carpet launches?

      I can see the US, UK, France, Germany maybe. Possibly Japan? Anywhere else with enough people (i.e., enough money) to make it worthwhile? The premiere takes place a week or two before it actually comes out (unless I'm being an idiot, which is quite common), so plenty of time.

      Also, I agree with the other poster about it being a media circle-jerk that nobody apart from Hello! cares about.

  15. PT

    Not the first time

    The movie distributors really are their own worst enemy. What do they expect, when they offer "jam tomorrow" but we know how to get it today? Never mind that the "jam" so often turns out to be high fructose corn syrup with artificial flavor and coloring, and not worth the wait.

    After seeing Michael Caine interviewed on US tv last week, I decided to go and see "Harry Brown" on its US release day last Friday. Unfortunately, "US release" didn't include any venue within a thousand miles of where I live. During my diligent search for a way to give money to the movie industry, I discovered "Harry Brown" had already been widely released elsewhere in the world, and available as a torrent for about six months!

    If I had downloaded it - which of course I wouldn't dream of - I would probably have found it was a very high quality copy of the original British version, including scenes which have undoubtedly been Bowdlerized out of the US release to make it fit for innocent American teens. I would probably also have discovered there were so many seeds that I could have downloaded it in less time than it takes my wife to get ready to go to the theater.

    1. Sir Runcible Spoon

      Sir

      "make it fit for innocent American teens"

      Not to criticise, but over here that seems to translate to

      -tits & arse

      +heads blown off in gory detail

      I know us Brits are supposed to be repressed, but that's only our public image. Behind closed doors most people seem to dressing up in womens clothes and rubbing banana custard everywhere :)

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Vanilla custard, actually

        bananas do come into it, though.

      2. PT

        @ Sir

        I'm sorry, I left out the <sarcasm> tags.

        By "fit for innocent American teens", I meant of course censored to suit the prejudice of the handful of vocal religious retards that set standards for American public morality. One such scene in Harry Brown would be the one immediately preceding the one of the head being blown off in gory detail.

  16. Anonymous Coward
    IT Angle

    Where's the tech?

    If I were a studio, I would look at some way of encoding a "finger print" into the movie. Make that multiple finger prints. Need to be something that can be picked up on a cam, but not necessarily by the human eye/ear.

    Then every copy distributed can have its fingerprint recorded against the cinema where it's shown.

    If a finger printed version appears on a torrent, simply bar the cinema concerned for having any more movies until they find the culprit.

    Similar tech could be used for the downloading films - finger print them them to the purchaser. If copy of that appears one-line, you know who to sue.

    Now, I can see massive holes in the above easily enough; but one cold make squillions selling this to the idiots in Hollywood.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      They already do this

      There was a man here in Australia that was caught making cam versions last year or the year before using the digital watermark embeded in the movie (each cinema has a unique watermark).

      They used the watermarks to track down the cinemas he was frequenting and then collared him the next time he turned up with his handycam. A quick search of his house also turned up "commercial quantities" of cam versions of new release movies burnt to DVD ready to sell at the local markets so he was well gone.

  17. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    really..

    the thing is copies like this won't hurt the bottom line i would think - anyone who is happy to watch a CAM is not the type of person who would pay to see it in the cinema

    ..then again you could argue that they're so desperate to see it so would take a CAM because its not yet in cinema..but meh

    btw here's list of labels and info if you're unsure

    CAM = both video and sound come from the camera

    TS (TELESYNC) = video comes from a camera but audio comes from a seperate direct source (usually the hearing impaired track, not much better than cam audio but at least don't get audience sounds

    SCREENER = rare nowadays, tapes sent round to places, sometimes for rating, sometimes stuff like hotels etc. - usually includes messages or timers

    DVDSCREENER = same thing, better qual, more prevalent nowadays

    R5 = unmastered DVDs sourced from russia with the audio sourced from somewhere else and synced up, i think they started releasing these unmastereds in russian territories to combat piracy (lol)

    then you got the retail rips

    wolverine was a workprint, quality is decent but usually missing segments or stuff like special effects - these are rare and vary so much in quality etc.

  18. Hotears

    And it is not necessarily a downside box office wise

    More than half the times I visit the big screen, it is because a someone I know - and know the tastes of - says that this is a movie I will like, and we should make an event out of it. Friends, beer (good stuff), and good sound. Funny thing is, the planning takes longer than the attention span of cinemas here.

    With digital projectors now in place, I must assume they try to find the balance between disinterest and hype.

  19. MonkeyBot

    mostly poor quality

    Guess I'd better wait for either an R5 release or a half decent cinema to be built near me.

    We all know which will happen first.

  20. Christian Berger

    Solving the problem at it's root

    When will the industry finally learn to solve the problem at it's root. It's just so simple, just ban cameras completely. Now not only in the cinema, it's to late there, but at the actual place where the talents are.

  21. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    All the more reason to prosecute and take down

    I like seeing this stuff because in the end some scum goes to prison and another scumware site gets shut down. It may not cure the problem but at least we put some scum in prison where they belong. That's what prisons are for.

  22. David Adams
    Coat

    Got to give them credit

    It's bloody hard to hold a camera still with one hand when Scarlett Johansson is writhing round the screen in a tight catsuit.

  23. The Truth might set you free
    Grenade

    Wolverine Sucked

    All I can say is thanks god for the Wolverine worksprint... it stopped me spending my money (and two hours of my life) on a real turd of a movie....

  24. Arnie
    FAIL

    @AC - All the more reason to prosecute and take down

    "scum" = people that download or distribute copyrighted material?

    in my book scum are rapists, peodo's and governments that erode civil liberties because of a war on terror/drugs (insert label here)

    you seriously need to grow a backbone and get your priorities in order.

  25. Anonymous Coward
    Linux

    Screeners

    I used to always wonder how "Screeners" made themselves onto the scene, but now I understand how.

    Yesterday I was in the studios of a large radio station and sat on top of a table-football game in the reception was two DVD's both "Media Review Copies" for films that where not out in cinema yet. I could have easily put them in my bag and walked out. Rip them and upload.

    The industry should stop just sending these types of DVD's to companies to just leave around and bitch because people download them.....

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