Hacker Holds Disney Movie for Ransom, Threatens to Release It

Disney CEO Bob Iger says that hackers are holding an upcoming Disney film for random. They’re asking for a large sum of money in the form of Bitcoins, or they will leak the movie online for free.

If the situation sounds familiar, it’s probably because Netflix received a similar threat from a hacker who obtained the newest season of “Orange is the New Black.” Netflix didn’t back down and give them the money, so the thief released 10 episodes of the show before its premiere. Business Insider quotes the hacker called thedarkoverlord as saying, “It didn’t have to be this way, Netflix. You’re going to lose a lot more money in all of this than what our modest offer was.”

Business Insider states that Iger hasn’t confirmed which film is being held for ransom, but according to the LA Times, a source says it’s the 5th installment of the “Pirates of the Caribbean” called “Dead Men Tell No Tales.” The movie is already set for wide release at the end of the week, but the hackers are hoping that Disney will worry about a lack of filled seats in the theater if the movie is leaked online, especially since the last four films brought in “nearly $3.73 billion worldwide.”