Sony Pulling 'The Interview' Affects Lizzy Caplan the Most

I'm not a fan of Sony pulling The Interview. While I can understand the fear of putting movie goers in danger, it sets a dangerous precedent. And I am convinced that that Sony and the movie theater companies were more afraid that scared moviegoers would steer clear of the theater right in the middle of the lucrative holiday movie season. The Interview was not supposed to be a blockbuster. The $44 million budget would have easily been recuperated during the long Holiday season as the go-to R rated bro comedy of the season. Also, the film would have made its profits from VOD/Redbox as well as television deals with channels like FX.

But now that the movie is cancelled, it's going to be a major loss for the production company especially considering marketing expenses (though releasing it amid the controversy would have made it a guaranteed hit). But it's okay for Sony--they will make back that money easily with their next franchise entry or what have you. I'm sure they fully analyzed their losses and will plan accordingly.

And don't cry for Seth Rogen and James Franco, Argentina. With the success of This is the End, Superbad and their conjoined star power, their career won't really be affected by a movie not getting released. If they wanted, together with director Evan Goldberg they can do another R rated comedy next year.

But Lizzy Caplan's is the profile with the most to lose. Lizzy Caplan is well-known among people who follow pop culture but she hasn't yet broken out. Her biggest movie role is still 10 years old Mean Girls and she was not even one of the mean girls. People might remember her from guest roles in True Blood or New Girl but I just don't think she's a household name yet. Maybe more of a "that girl from XYZ" kind of a thing.

 Considering her star beauty and general versatility (not to forget her Emmy nomination), she has big potential to become A-list. A well-performed supporting role in a bro comedy, especially after people took notice of Rose Byrne in Neighbors, could have been a launching pad. It's a big could have, however, since we don't know what her role was like. And even if she stole the show like Byrne in Neighbors, there's no guarantee it would have led to anything; Byrne's next film after Neighbors is as a bland love interest in Annie, a role probably only her bank account will take notice of.

Looking back at Caplan's work, it's varied between sci-fi (Cloverfield), indie comedy (Bachelorette) and and period drama (Masters of Sex). If she were a guy, she'd be in the running for any and all franchises in development. But as an actress, she still has to "audition" for A-list by taking supporting roles in wide release movies. She still has to be seen and accepted by a wide release audience before being catapulted to the big leagues.

So canceling The Interview will have lots of effects on the industry, some foreseen and some unforeseen. I wish I knew what Caplan's role in the film was like, how much screentime she got, how many punchlines and gags she had. Perhaps she's the secret star! Or more likely perhaps she's just "the girl" and all this speculation was for nothing. But the potential was there for The Interview to provide a decent runway for her career plane to take off. I'm sure there will be other opportunities for Caplan to break out but how much longer will she have to wait?

Like what you read? Please like my blog at Facebook.com/MathurMarquee. Also, follow me on Twitter @HippogriffRider. Agree? Disagree? Sound off in the comments below!