I'm less than surprised to report that an early cut of the upcoming "Wolverine" movie has been leaked to the net. Thankfully the fanboys and girls have come to the rescue. Website Ain't-It-Cool-News on Wednesday expressed it's disdain about the the pirated Web upload of 20th Century Fox's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," and vowed not to run any reviews or comments on the pic.
In addition, Internet rumors Wednesday said there's a fake "Wolverine" file online that contained viruses that would infect anyone who opened it -- and the rumor acted as a deterrent to viewing.
In a statement Wednesday, Fox said: "We are encouraged by the support of fansites condemning this illegal posting and pointing out that such theft undermines the enormous efforts of the filmmakers and actors, and above all, hurts the fans of the film."
Fox execs first heard about the breach at about 7 p.m. Tuesday night and began assessing the damage to the pic, which bows May 1.
"We forensically mark our content so we can identify sources that make it available or download it," a Fox statement said. "The source of the initial leak and any subsequent postings will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.... The FBI and the MPAA also are actively investigating this crime."
Fox said the leaked version is an early rough cut and is missing some scenes. The version also features temporary sound and music and a darker appearance than the finished footage.
"Wolverine" is a spinoff from the three "X-Men" pics, and fanboy anticipation has been high.