Sony Pictures is revising its plan to sell sanitised versions of its films after complaints from film-makers.
Sony’s Clean Version initiative, which was announced earlier this month, allows customers to purchase films that have been edited for TV or in-flight entertainment to remove “scenes of graphic violence, offensive language, sexual innuendo and other adult content”. Initially, the studio had made 24 of its films, including Spider-Man and Captain Phillips, available under the scheme.
Now the studio says that it will stop selling the “clean” version of a film if its director objects to its release.
The company acted after it emerged that director Adam McKay was not aware that two of his films, Step Brothers and Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, had been included in the initiative. “The Clean Version initiative is news to Adam McKay. He would not have agreed to this,” a representative for the film-maker told the Hollywood Reporter.
In a statement, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment president Man Jit Singh said: “Our directors are of paramount importance to us and we want to respect those relationships to the utmost. We believed we had obtained approvals from the film-makers involved for use of their previously supervised television versions as a value-added extra on sales of the full version. But if any of them are unhappy or have reconsidered, we will discontinue it for their films.”
The Clean Version initiative has proved controversial within the film industry. Shortly after its launch, actor Seth Rogen, who has made several films with Sony, tweeted: “Holy shit, please don’t do this to our movies. Thanks.” Director Judd Apatow was also critical, tweeting that the company would get “hell” for the initiative. Apatow later responded to Sony’s statement, tweeting: “So now we are being asked if we are OK with our movies being released in a sanitised form. Let me be clear – it is not OK.”
Meanwhile, the Directors Guild of America has demanded that Sony cease selling all “clean” versions of its films until the studio has received express permission from directors to sell them.
“While we’re pleased that Sony is acknowledging its mistakes in this area, the DGA expects the immediate removal of all ‘clean’ versions of the affected films from availability until Sony secures permission from every director, and provides them with an opportunity to edit a version for release in new media – consistent with the DGA agreement and directors’ individual contracts,” the guild said.
“These are hard-fought-for rights that protect a director’s work and vision, and are at the very heart of our craft and a thriving film industry. As we have throughout our history, we are committed to fighting the unauthorised editing of films,” the statement added.
