Former Sony Boss Regrets Greenlighting Seth Rogen's 'The Interview'

Michael Lynton says Obama told him 'What were you thinking?' after the Sony hack

Published on Mar. 1, 2026

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In his new memoir, former Sony Pictures CEO Michael Lynton admits he may have made a mistake in greenlighting Seth Rogen's 2014 comedy "The Interview," which depicted the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Lynton says he spoke to President Obama after the devastating Sony hack, and Obama asked him "What were you thinking when you made killing the leader of a hostile foreign nation a plot point? Of course that was a mistake."

Why it matters

The 2014 Sony hack, which was linked to North Korea's objections to "The Interview," caused massive damage to Sony's systems and exposed sensitive internal communications, leading to damaged relationships with major stars. Lynton's memoir provides a behind-the-scenes look at the fallout from the controversial film decision.

The details

Lynton says he and co-chair Amy Pascal enthusiastically decided to make "The Interview" with Seth Rogen, but the film ended up causing one of the biggest upheavals in Hollywood history when North Korea hacked Sony's systems in retaliation. The hack irreparably damaged 70% of Sony's servers and exposed private communications, scripts, and personal information. As a result, Sony lost relationships with major stars like Will Smith, Adam Sandler, and Angelina Jolie.

  • On Nov. 24, 2014, Lynton was informed that all of Sony's email systems and production/financial IT systems were down.
  • Eight months after the hack, Lynton spoke to President Obama, who asked him "What were you thinking when you made killing the leader of a hostile foreign nation a plot point?"
  • Lynton's memoir "From Mistakes to Meaning: Owning Your Past So It Doesn't Own You" publishes on Feb. 24, 2026.

The players

Michael Lynton

The former CEO of Sony Pictures Entertainment who greenlit the controversial film "The Interview."

Seth Rogen

The actor and filmmaker who co-created and starred in "The Interview."

Amy Pascal

The co-chairperson at Sony Pictures Entertainment who worked with Lynton on "The Interview."

Barack Obama

The former President of the United States who spoke with Lynton about the Sony hack and "The Interview."

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What they’re saying

“What were you thinking when you made killing the leader of a hostile foreign nation a plot point? Of course that was a mistake.”

— Barack Obama, President of the United States

“Just for a moment, I wanted to join the badass gang that made subversive movies. For a moment, I wanted to hang — as an equal — with the actors. I had grown tired of playing the responsible adult, of watching the party from the outside while I played Risk....The party got out of hand, and the company, its employees, my family and I all paid dearly.”

— Michael Lynton, Former CEO, Sony Pictures Entertainment (Wall St. Journal)

What’s next

Lynton's memoir "From Mistakes to Meaning: Owning Your Past So It Doesn't Own You" publishes on February 24, 2026, providing further insights into the Sony hack and the making of "The Interview."

The takeaway

The fallout from the controversial decision to greenlight "The Interview" serves as a cautionary tale about the risks of pursuing edgy, politically-charged content, even for major Hollywood studios. Lynton's regrets highlight the need for careful consideration of the potential consequences when making such high-stakes creative choices.