By Dan Mecca
On Monday, Variety confirmed that Fox News entertainment blogger Roger Friedman was fired by the company after publishing an early review of the illegally leaked and incomplete workprint copy of X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
Although reviewing an ILLEGAL copy of an incomplete film and publishing it should, and did it turns out, allow your employer to fire you, was it really the best move for Fox?
After all, one could argue that Friedman does have some big brass ones in terms of journalistic integrity. While everyone and their mother was downloading Wolverine and critiquing it with their friends under the table (I plead the fifth – and you see what I’m getting at?) Friedman had the moxie to publish his review for all to read. On some ways, this a step forward for sociable web media.
However, his review was essentially an admission of robbery and Fox certainly does not have to justify his termination.
But how better would have Fox looked had they kept Friedman working and stood by their leaked blockbuster, proclaiming their confidence in the forthcoming final product and not making excuses. They could have made a spectacle of it, a P.R. campaign funded by news media, spinning their film back the right way – the way it was a year ago when fans hoped for something for like X2 and less like The Last Stand. Hugh Jackman could have spoken to the masses and put on his charm full force and Wolverine could have grossed more than they ever could have projected.
Alas, the moment has passed. Fox has not been a company of smart decisions recently (don’t forget they produced, and will most likely lose money on, 12 Rounds).
What do you think? Was Fox right to fire Friedman? Could they have done it differently?