Singapore police arrest alleged The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender leaker

Source: Engadget

Background

People aren’t thrilled with Paramount these days. After all, corporate consolidation and the transformation of CBS News into state media tend to do that.

The film The Legend of Aang: The Last Airbender is part of the Avatar: The Last Airbender franchise. It was initially scheduled for a theatrical release, but after two delays it was moved to Paramount+, where it’s set to debut later this year. Paramount’s limited marketing did little to assuage fans who were disappointed that the highly anticipated entry would skip theaters.

Leak incident

The Straits Times reports (via Gizmodo) that Singapore police have arrested a 26‑year‑old man for leaking the movie. According to the police, the suspect gained remote access to a server, downloaded the film, and posted parts of it online. After the leak, Paramount changed the movie’s title to Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender in an attempt to make casual searches less likely to surface the leaked material.

The man is being investigated for unauthorized access to computer material and could face a maximum of seven years in prison, a fine of up to $50,000, or both.

Public reaction

Earlier this month, The Hollywood Reporter interviewed the X account holder @ImStillDissin, who posted the clips. While it’s unclear whether this is the individual now in custody, the interview revealed a rather blasé attitude toward the breach. He said posting clips “was no biggie since the film is a streaming‑only release.”

The leaked clips spread rapidly. Despite pleas from 4chan users to share the entire film, @ImStillDissin resisted. However, a full version of the movie appeared online by April 13 and has since circulated widely.

Outlook

Paramount’s official streaming release is slated for October 9. Given the extent of the leak, the company may face additional challenges in promoting the film.