Disney’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales has reportedly been...pirated.
During a townhall meeting in NYC on Monday, the studio’s CEO Bob Iger told ABC employees that hackers stole an upcoming film. They are demanding an undisclosed sum of money to be paid in Bitcoin.
Deadline reports Iger did not reveal which movie was hacked; however, the publication confirmed it was the fifth installment in the Pirates of the Caribbean series.
The hackers have threatened to release the highly anticipated summer blockbuster in increments if their demands aren’t met. Disney insiders said the company does not intend to pay the ransom, and is now working with federal investigators.
Though movie piracy isn’t anything new, it seems ransom demands are becoming more frequent. Just last month, The Dark Overlord hacker leaked the fifth season of Orange is the New Black ahead of its June 9 premiere. After Netflix refused to pay an undisclosed amount, the hacker released the OITNB episodes on Pirate Bay.
It’s unclear if The Dark Overlord is behind the Pirates of the Caribbean hack; however, it's important to note the hacker did threaten ABC Networks, Fox, National Geographic, and IFC following the OITNB release.
Stay tuned as more information becomes available.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales is set to hit U.S. theaters May 26.
