In what appears to be becoming an annual tradition, earlier this week someone leaked screener copies of several high-profile upcoming movies, including The Revenant and The Hateful Eight, onto torrent sites, something we’re sure no one reading this had any idea was happening because they are law-abiding citizens who really took those ads about how piracy is like stealing a car to heart. And now a culprit appears to have been found: Variety reports that thanks to a watermark on the offending DVD, the Hateful Eight screener, at least, has been traced back to the offices of Andrew Kosove, producer of the also upcoming Point Break remake.
Now, before we start spinning elaborate tales of corporate espionage perpetuated by a desperate producer with a bomb on his hands (advance screenings of Point Break were canceled last week, a bad sign for the movie’s critical prospects), it should be noted that Kosove swears that, although someone at his office signed for delivery of the screener, he never actually saw it. “The screener copy of The Hateful Eight that was sent to me at Alcon Entertainment never touched my hands nor was I aware that it had been delivered,” he says, adding that his office will cooperate fully with the FBI’s ongoing investigation of the leak. Still, Kosove better watch his back at the Christmas-themed hot tub orgy we’re assuming takes place every year at Harvey Weinstein’s house, because Quentin Tarantino’s been known to be vengeful about these sorts of things. And for everyone who’d prefer to watch a film intended as an immersive 70mm big-screen spectacle on a shitty DVD rip on their laptop, well—suit yourselves.