Seth Rogen and James Franco cancel Interview press appearances after Sony hackers' threats

The hackers pledged to show cinemas a “bitter fate” if they screen new film The Interview

James Franco and Seth Rogen have withdrawn from forthcoming press appointments, after a threatening message from the Sony hackers.

The actors were due to appear on BuzzFeed Brews, Watch What Happens Live, Late Night With Seth Meyers and The Tonight Show With Jimmy Fallon – but have cancelled them all. They also stopped an interview with Yahoo, Buzzfeed reports.

The “Guardians of Peace”, as the hackers call themselves, asserted that they would impose a “bitter fate” on any cinemas who screen Rogen and Franco’s new film The Interview, about two reporters who are given the job of killing Kim Jong-Un.

“We will clearly show it to you at the very time and places The Interview be shown, including the premiere, how bitter fate those who seek fun in terror should be doomed to. Soon all the world will see what an awful movie Sony Pictures Entertainment has made.”

It has been speculated that North Korea is responsible for the Sony email leak, after the North Korean government warned that failure to stop the release of the movie would result in a “resolute and merciless response” from the country.

The salaries of Rogen and Franco were leaked in the hacking. The emails between Sony boss Amy Pascal and producer Scott Rudin have been widely circulated, featuring mortifying comments made about Angelina Jolie, Michael Fassbender and Barack Obama.