North Korea threatens war on USA over 'gangster filmmaker' Seth Rogen and James Franco’s Kim Jong-un assassination movie

Government warns of 'merciless' retaliation if US doesn't ban the actors' comedy, The Interview

North Korea has threatened to reap "merciless" retaliation on the USA if they do not ban Seth Rogen and James Franco’s forthcoming comedy, The Interview.

The government issued a statement about the film, in which the actors star as two journalists ordered by the CIA to assassinate Kim Jong-un, saying that the country considered the movie "an act of war" and a "wanton act of terror". He also labelled Rogen a "gangster filmmaker".

Published by state-run KCNA news agency, the foreign ministry spokesperson said: "The act of making and screening such a movie that portrays an attack on our top leadership... is a most wanton act of terror and act of war, and is absolutely intolerable."

Failure to stop the release of the film on 14 October in the US would, he said, result in a "resolute and merciless response" from the country.

The statement follows that of unofficial North Korean spokesperson Kim Myong-chol’s earlier this week.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Myong-chol said: "There is a special irony in this story line as it shows the desperation of the US government and American society.

"A film about the assassination of a foreign leader mirrors what the US has done in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Ukraine.

"And let us not forget who killed [President John F.] Kennedy – Americans. In fact, President [Barack] Obama should be careful in case the US military wants to kill him as well."

Neither The White House, nor Rogen and Franco themselves, have issued an official response to North Korea's position.

However, Rogen didn’t seem too riled by the initial reaction to The Interview’s plotline if this Twitter post is anything to go by: