Forget Johnny Depp -- Canada is the new face of piracy. At least that's what 20th Century Fox thinks.
According to HollywoodReporter.com, the film company is threatening to delay its Canadian releases in attempt to snuff out bootlegging.
"Canada has become a hotbed for film piracy," Bruce Snyder, Fox president of U.S. distribution, said in the article. "It's a serious problem."
Before Fox resorts to delaying movies, Snyder said the company will withhold films from theatres that camcorder-happy individuals are known to frequent. Should that fail, Canadian releases will be pushed back.
The article further reports that Canadian laws, which prevent arrest and prosecution for camcorder possession in cinemas, as the main cause of the bootlegging. The problem itself really grew when the U.S. passed legislation making it a criminal offense to carry a camcorder into movie theatres.
Apparently, they're not protected under any constitutional amendments.
Douglas Frith, head of the Canadian Motion Picture Distribution Association, which represents Hollywood in Canada, said the CMPDA is pushing the Canadian government to pass stronger copyright-protection laws.
The article further reports the CMPDA has also been training cinema employees on how to spot camcorders, but police do not respond to calls reporting bootleggers.
In the article, Snyder said that Fox is only acting on a sentiment that is common among film executives.
Should Fox resort to delaying film releases in Canada, other studios could do the same.
