And the most-pirated film of 2009 is....

By Eriq Gardner

Paramount's worst fears are confirmed: "Star Trek" was the most pirated film of 2009.

In October, studio COO Frederick Huntsberry delivered a presentation to the FCC that detailed how "Star Trek" had become a hot commodity in piracy circles. Illegal file-sharing had advanced from "geek to sleek," he said. Now, according to data from TorrentFreak, "Star Trek" was downloaded nearly 11 million times this past year, just edging "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" in total downloads.

Interestingly, for all the fuss about the "Wolverine" leak, the film barely makes the top 10. 

Meanwhile, Guy Ritchie's "RocknRolla" was the third most pirated film this year. The film was distributed in the U.S. by Warner Bros. and grossed less than $26 million in worldwide box office. We wonder whether its availability online hurt boxoffice—or whether Warners might have promoted the theatrical release more heavily with the knowledge of its underground appeal.

Now, drumroll please...here are the ten most pirated films of 2009:

Comments

[TV on the Brain]

Of course, these are just ESTIMATES, there's no way to know the actual number, but it's still disgusting how these companies are trying to grossly exaggerate these estimates to their advantage.

Here's a hint:
If you don't want your stuff pirated, think of the CONSUMER, not your pocketbook. Not everyone is going to see this in theaters, NOT everyone lives in the U.S. and NOT everyone owns a Blu Ray Player.

Of course, they're going to try to pad your pocketbook, but the way releases are done now is horrific. Put the movie out on DVD/BR the same day it's in theaters, and release EVERYWHERE universally, not staggered out like most companies do.

What do I know though, I'm just a consumer that refuses to pay massive $$$ to see movies in the theater multiple times just because the prod. company doesn't want to adhere to some pretty basic consumer principles. Thankfully I live in the U.S. where we get most stuff early, but still, think of the consumer, not your pocketbook.

[Drug Rehab for Women]

Drug Addiction Treatment for Women was my only hope.

[Sam]

DVD in stores 01-20-2010 check it out www.lbcthemovie.com

[g.]

TV on the Brain --

Interesting how you justify outright theft. "Think of the consumer"? Please. I currently don't own a car. Under your logic I could just say "think of the commuter" and drop by and steal yours. How does that sound?

If you can't afford to pay for a movie...you can't afford to see it. Period. That doesn't mean you get to steal it.

[BAMb00zl3r]

the best way to prevent pirating is to offer up movies on digital stores along side theater releases. By offering a legal online option for people that don't want a theater experiance or those that don't have the option to go to a theater will stop pirating from those that do so for conveniance instead of just getting it for free (unfortunately those kinds will always exist).

[Jack]

Just because it is illegally downloaded doesn't mean it cost them money. Many people pay for cable or satellite premium channels that show these movies within six months of leaving the theaters. An early download just means they saw it a little early. Who's to say if those people would have saved it on their DVR instead of purchasing it. The studios were paid for HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, etc. Also, many "pirates" also purchased the DVD or Blu-Ray when they were available later. The majority of those downloads above were "cam" copies where the quality was barely watchable. I know it's illegal and I certainly don't condone it. I really wish they would come up with a way to catch the individuals who camcord films or copy dvds to upload to the internet the first time. Without them there would be no illegal downloading. There are only a handful of people actually doing that. As far as making counterfit DVDs and selling them...jail everyone of them.

[Frank]

What I find most interesting is that any movie I may have downloaded I would have not gone to see anyway. If it is free I will watch it or part of it knowing it cost me nothing. After having seen 5 minutes of a movie like Knowing I can delete it and go on with my life. Nothing lost but those minutes. Should I drive to the theater and drop $10 I will have wasted a couple hours and some serious money. I don't think Hollywood is suffering from illegal downloads as much as they are suffering from un-watchable movies. Pure junk has been shoveled out for years and they wonder why people would opt to get the junk for free? C'm on.

[Seth]

The REAL question is, what is worse:

1) Pirating movies from companies that are still breaking box-office records every year, or...

2) Companies wasting my time and stealing my money by trading it for 90 minutes of garbage that they choose to call "art"?

I like my money. I still buy movies, IF they are good. If not, I pirate. At least it's only my time being wasted and not my hard-earned money as well.

[justin]

I went to a movie this last summer and was treated to ten minutes of advertisements (ranging from a 3 min auto to a 2 min coke) before the previews began. 7 previews (and another 25 min later), the movie started. Needless to say, I was pretty annoyed that a show with a 1:20 start time actually began closer to 2.

Now I'm guessing the studios will argue that those commercials keep the cost of the movie experience down, but doesn't it dawn on anybody that the more expensive and annoying the movie experience becomes, the more people will look for alternatives? These issues (costs and piracy) aren't mutually exclusive. Maybe the result of the industry trying to make extra money by endless commercials and jacking up prices is the piracy element.

Now I think piracy is awful and people that participate in piracy should get what's coming to them. But I think movie industry greed is just as awful but it seems to be more accepted as ok.

[Heynow]

What a wonderful, thriving anarchy the internet is. The amount of shared information globally is blinding. For our sake, I hope it never changes.

[Captain Jack]

Sam,
what if you swung by and sat in the driveway for a few and made a copy of the car and drove off with it never depriving the original owner of their car. because downloading a movie never deprives the original host of their copy, It's like someone has a corvette and there were only 200 ever made then someone comes around makes a copy of it and then thousands of other people make copies as well, that person never being deprived of their one of 200 originals but now the potential market is saturated with copies of the car, that person's corvette isn't worth as much and their pissed.

[Captain Jack]

above I said I was replying to sam, actually it's the person that posted under the name G.

[Duh]

"piracy is awful and people that participate in piracy should get what's coming to them." haha maybe. How about: companies that repeatedly force garbage into our lives and charge us ridiculous sums of money for it through a bait and switch model of "awesome trailer / terrible movie" should get what's coming to them... bankruptcy. Don't be afraid of democracy having an actual affect on the world, we vote every day with our wallets, that's the american/capitalist way, nothing wrong with that. It's just that we've wised up and are no longer voting for an outdated, selfish, profit model.

[VooDoo]

Piracy is called piracy for a reason, but let's think about it. On the one hand, a 28 year old electrician who makes $35,000 a year downloads Star Trek. Paramount COO makes like $4 million off of Star Trek (just an estimate). I'm all for capitalism, it's essential to our way of life, but look at Twilight: New Moon. That was the biggest peice of shit ever and it already grossed over $200 million. Cost what, $30 million? What about the endless merchandise and the raise in the first Twilight's DVD sales? With the right director and people behind a film, something special can happen. I know most true auteurs and actors would rather their films touch people then get them paid. I know I'd make movies for free if I had the resources. It's the people who aren't passionate that make the fuss. The people who are still making 100 times what everyone else makes and think they deserve 100 times more.

How many times a year does something like Meet The Spartans happen? Too many. And we take it, because we have to. If they want to keep making garbage films and not care what they sell us, I say let the pirates plunder.

Besides, $10 billion in box office sales this year was a record, so the industry isn't suffering as bad as they say.

[The.Watcher]

I, for one, only saw Avatar in theaters this year, cos it was worth it, IMAX 3D baby!!
But that's it, I have a big HD tv + Blu-Ray, and I'd rather watch movies at home than in the cinema. It's uncomfortable, you sit there next to people you don't know that are often loud and texting, it's cold etc...
I d/l a lot of movies that come out, and if they are good, I buy the BR of it. But the thing is, there were like 5 good movies that were worth it. The rest - well, I'm just glad I didn't waste money on them. I really hope half the studios go bankrupt - that way, the rest WILL wise up and put out quality product.

[The.Watcher]

[more] of the top 10, I only bought District 9 & Lense Flare, Hangover is a 1 time see, Wolverine was awful, I didn't even finish watching the download, HP sucks, State was MEH, Knowing, TRSFRMRS, Rock'n'Rolla sucked ass, That Vamp turd that shall not be named is self-explanatory...

Actually, now that I thought about how much big-budget movies suck, it makes me sad.

[The blob]

well, i went to see Star Trek, Transformers, Rocknrolla, hangover and district 9 to the movie theathers and i was disappointed with only one of them (transformers), and i was expecting that. All the other ones i didn't saw at the cinema, because i thought they would be a waste of time and money, i was wrong on one, the new harry potter movie. So really, even if i download a movie on the torrents, that doesn't mean i'm skipping an opportunity to spend money on the cinema. If i don't think the movie is worth to see on a movie theather i will not go and more... i wouldn't rent it on DVD and certainly wouldn't buy it, even if it was on sale. I problably would see it on a friends house or on national TV. So... what's all this about, with all the billions earned per year on movies, i don't believe that piracy is making such a big "hole" on the income. The only reason i think of is DVD sales, but think about it, there's tons of DVD recorders....

[tracy]

I agree with most of the comments. I think James Cameron is a Genius (no duh right?) Because Avatar is a movie best watched in the theater. Its a movie experience, I havent felt that giddy about a movie since I was a kid.

As far as piracy goes the studios look at the number of people who download and probably think wow, 11 million people downloaded this movie, thats 11 million tickets we could have sold. Fact is Hollywood doesnt care about entertaining you, they have no intergrity, its all about the money. If they could put an ass on the screen for 90 minutes, farting and saying nothing (like in "Idiocracy")and make 200 million dollars from it, they would. lol
This is a gray area for me. Most people I know who download movies usually end up buying the dvd when it comes out. I own over 1500 dvds, most of films I downloaded and watched during their theater release. If I thought the film was good, I bought it when it was released on DVD. If I thought it sucked, I usually didnt even end up finishing the first 30 minutes while I was watching it online. Fact is, people want to choose the films they go to. How many times have you saw the trailer and thought it looked awesome, then realized all the good stuff was in the trailer? As much as I REALLY LOVED "Where the Wild Things Are". (awesome movie) I heard lots of complaints from other people about it. Because the trailer doesnt give you much (but I came because Spike Jonze directed it.)

I have one suggestion, if some studio is reading these comments lol. I dont think releasing Digital copies the day of theater release is a good idea. I think, a REALLY good idea to satisfy the studios and the consumer, would be to release for a SMALL like 50 to 99 cent fee 30 minute clip of the movie online. you check it out, if it looks like something you want to finish, then you go to the theaters to check it out. I mean just think if they released a film like "Seven" like that. you'd be like... oh god I gotta go see how this ends right now! And then you will march your little A$$ to the theater! anyways thats my 2 cents lol

[TMThesaurus]

Copyright infringement is not theft.

[D-man]

you guys are so funny. you are not only thieves but liars too. you know you're stealing. just admit you are cheap. all the justification is ridiculous. by the logic you liars are throwing out there... i should have the right to steal a dvd from the video store or target and then first see if i like it. if i then enjoy the movie i can go and pay for it... otherwise i will turn it off and throw it out or just return it. maybe stores should just give everything away and trust the consumer to pay or return later based on how much they like it.

[tracy]

TO D-MAN or DEMON (HOWEVER YOU SAY IT LOL)okay, Im cheap. Happy now? lol

[tracy]

At the end of the day, no amount of crazy cracking down is going to stop piracy. I lived in South korea for 5 years and also visited China a few dozen times. piracy is booming in those places. Half the time I was tricked, I thought it was the real DVD I was buying. It had a case, a real looking label, special features and the several different language options for the subtitles.
Is it stealing? yes. But the only way the Studios are going to combat it effectively is addressing the problem and coming up with alternatives. Get into the consumers mind and find out what they want. I really think treating big budget movies like video game releases would be a good thing. Demos come out months before the game release, you play it, and if you liked it you purchase the game when it comes out. If they released a full 15 -30 minute clip from a upcoming movie, and you paid a small fee to watch that clip, you probably would want to finish the film, however HOPEFULLY in the cinema.
Piracy is like a whore house. The Cops raid it, you arrest a few prostitutes take in a few pimps, but just a few weeks later its up and running again like nothing happened lol.

[heylel shalem]

Im like a lot of the other people here who download movies. I actually watched avatar streaming online before i went to the theatre to watch it in 3d. Watching that made me want to pay the money because I was sure that it was going to be ten times better in the theatre. And i usually end up buying a film if I like it..sadly though the majority of hollywood films are total crap. They are pretty much devoid of most art and are essentially a cheap consumer product shat out like some jewish terd.

If the movie industry learns anything i would hope that they realize that the rules of the game are changing and that audiences will get more fickle..it will take more to convince them to venture out and spend that ten dollars. For me i would rather download a flick to make sure its worth ten dollars, because there is no worse feeling then walking out of the theatre feeling like one has been robbed.

Put out more quality art. And stop whining about the downloaders, most are big fans of the medium of film as art..they are just tired of being shit on by hollywood.

Heres to watching the dinosaurs die out to make way for the new innovators.

[The Firecat]

Hollywood had a record year...price gouging works for movies just as it worked for gas stations. Our economic model is no longer sustainable... greed is unacceptable; quality products turn a significant profit, whether by word of mouth (Hangover) or attention to detail/advertising (Avatar).

Honestly, if I can go to the library and check out a DVD for free, where is the harm in simply downloading a low-quality copy? How many people buy a ticket for one movie, only to watch 3 or 4? A lot more than are pirating the films online. Cinema is dead. Interactivity is the medium of the future; perhaps Avatar is a step in the right direction, but until a fully interactive interface (a la video games) is offered, piracy will continue.

And to all the studios accusing pirates of copyright infringement... stop making adaptations and come up with an original story. Even the "amazingly original" Avatar is just a reboot of Pocahontas, albeit with eye candy.

[The Firecat]

Oh, and I think another reason studio execs get so angry is because they haven't paid to see a movie in years...they have private distribution copies (given to them for free) projected in their home theatres. Not everyone has that luxury; some people have families to support, or college educations to obtain. Just be glad people are downloading your movies and not storming the Bastille; 200 years ago, people opposed greedy bullshit by taking heads.

[Tex14]

Make a good movie and you deserve my money! Transformers was pure garbage front to back and I feel no remorse downloading that...however I did also download Star Trek. But...I made sure to put my money into it! I loved the movie and saw it 6 times in theaters and dragged as many friends and family that I could to go see it (all loved it btw) I spent time advertising it on my facebook page as well as buying both the special edition blue ray and special edition DVD! So did I download it yes...frankly I needed the fix and I got rid of my burned copy a month before the DVD came out.
So paramount got hundreds of dollars from me and they deserved every penny. Transformers got nothing from me and they deserved nothing from me.
When JJ Abrahms makes the next Star Trek (if its good) I will see it multiple times, work to advertise it and buy all the different dvd copies.

The fact that so many people payed money to see transformers makes me sick!! it was so bad that I didnt even bother to put it on DVD!

Make a good product you will get my money make trash you get nothing from me.

recent great flicks I saw in theaters, bought the dvds and downloaded inc:
All the Lord of the Rings =deserves my money!!
Harry Potter series
new Bond series
X-men series
even the first transformers
along with tons of other flicks I have bought.

[Joey]

@g. your counter analogy does not work. The original poster was not talking about stealing your DVD copy of the movie, or from the movie store. He was talking about stealing it from the company For your analogy to be a adequate comparison you would have needed to frame it as stealing a car from the GM factory lot.

[IdiotFest]

Congrats to those who pirated the movie, you're officially nothing but common thieves.

You can rant about studio execs all you want; none of you are any different, any less greedy.

There many of people who are middle class and work hard who work for the studios and record companies who get the shaft because of the vermin who download illegally. But all the rats commenting here want to focus on are the people on top, as if they're the only ones effected.

[Steve]

"There many of people who are middle class and work hard who work for the studios and record companies who get the shaft because of the vermin who download illegally."

The problem I have with that statement is that in the height of piracy Hollywood had is biggest holiday weekend in history. You're saying that the middle class who work for the studios get the shaft even though the studios are having a record year? That's what they say to make pirates feel guilty.

There is no proof they lose any money from downloading. Just because a movie is downloaded doesn't mean the person would have paid for it at the theater or paid for the DVD. They may have just waited for it to show up a couple of months later on the cable or satellite they also pay for. They may also have paid for the DVD after watching a cam copy.

How many times have we been mislead by commercials with ten quotes from obscure critics saying the movie was the funniest movie of the year only to pay $40 to see it and be disappointed? Because of that, most people do wait for TV or cable rather than waste more money.

[Steve]

And another thing. The gaffers and crew members are probably earning an hourly wage. If I was working for a company that was having a record year and was told I wasn't getting a raise because of pirates, I would be PO'd.

Sounds more like something that was invented by execs to keep from giving raises.

[Sh]

I had to comment because I can't understand when downloading a shared movie or mp3 is compared to shoplifting or car theft.

1. if the person downloading was not able to, does that mean they would have bought the DVD or CD? I would guess more than 90% of the time, no they would not but nor would they walk in to a store and shoplift.

2. a "pirate" steals in order to sell their stolen goods for a profit. OK presumably some downloaded video and mp3 is sold for profit and is "Piracy" and should be illegal.

3. copying, downloading a copy for personal enjoyment is only "Copyright Infringement" according to the people who create these laws. Which by the way was created and made a punishable law before I (and I assume many people) even knew it was being discussed or completely understood its implications.

It seems to be history repeating, remember taxation without representation? the Boston Tea Party?

this time it is not the government it is multi-million dollar corporations, big business that are pushing these laws through that protect not "We the people" but themselves.

This is not going to change, personal technologies will continue to improve and it will become easier and quicker to copy DVD's and or download.

It is already acceptable (and without questioning authority) not to be allowed to modify the xbox360. As well legally binding if you agree to the terms by checking a box.

what if a shirt came with a EULA an by wearing that shirt you agreed to the Terms of Use and could never alter the shirt, no taylor, no nothinh.

Would that be OK with you as a law?

What is going on? why are we all just lettin thid happen?

[Melissa Joan Hart]

hehe, you people are idiots.

[dirtblade]

Everyone should be pirating!
P2P networks are forever. Those idiots who thinks that pirating is bad are soooo stupid. I really don't wanna to waste my time explaining them how they get fucked by movie production companies because people like them are slaves!!! Think about it!

[TV on the Brain]

@G

Tell me where did I ever advocate piracy? I didn't, and don't. If you want to read that into what I wrote, that's your choice, but that's not anywhere stated that I advocate piracy.

Your comparison to my post is inadequate at best. I never, ever advocated stealing, or theft of movies, I simply stated that the people behind them need to catch up with the times instead of sticking behind their ancient release schedules. If Fox can release an entire season of a show within 24 hours of the season finale, then there's no reason that studios can not release a digital copy of the show for rent (or purchase) online within that period of time.

If businesses thought of their customer before the bottom line, the bottom line would GROW, instead of suffering. Of course there's still going to be people pirating this crap, but those people won't be stopped no matter what you do. They're the people that refuse to pay for things because they believe everything should be free, no matter what it cost to do.

To recap (again):
I do NOT advocate the theft and piracy of movies, TV, or anything of the like, but in SOME circumstances, it is understandable. Like I said, NOT everyone can see this in theaters (for many reasons), NOT everyone lives in the U.S. (or U.K., or Canada, or China, etc). If the companies were SMART, they'd find a way to reach these, instead of treating them like outcasts and forcing them to get what they're after an illegal way.

[Jim]

The funny thing that most people don’t see including the movie companies is and its odd to say but one of the reasons it did so well is because of word of mouth. And that my friends is the best form of advertising. That’s the kind of advertising that money can’t buy.

Star Trek has a sort of stigmata behind it that only the diehards and their parents ever rely got behind. But this new movie was amazing and why would a non trekey go see it… why they got told that it was amazing by someone or that someone dragged them to a showing.

On to the pirating subject. First question does anyone think that a pirate was going to buy a ticket to see it in the first place? Here is a news flash people. The answer is a resounding… NO. Though I think a lot of them changed their minds after they saw it. Lets face it if you didn’t see it in the theater you did your self a huge disservice. That movie was mind blowing and made me fall in love with the Star Trek universe all over again.

Steve you are absolutely right about the points you made. But I gatta chime in about a movie staffer losing their job over piratcey. Come on rely when the actors are making that much? I mean we actually get the post on their income on what ever movie they are working on. These companies are looking for the bigger better deal as with all US big business companies. Most just try to out source to other countries so the executives can get their new plane or their 12th mansion. But oh no I for got one thing you gatta feel sorry for the big name actors and the movie producers and executives. I mean think about the taxes they have pay per check they get gosh I rely feel sorry for them.
That’s what’s wrong with this picture the ones who put the real work into the movie get a pittance of what should be going in their checks.

[c.l. ball]

What the data shows is that there is a modest, positive correlation (.28) between illegal downloads and the box office. An OLS regression of downloads on box office shows that for each additional million in downloads, the box office rises by $61 million. In short, this data shows that the more downloads, the greater the box office, or the greater the box office, the more downloads. In essence, both are measures for the popularity of the movie, in general. Movies that fewer people want to see at the theater will be movies that fewer people will try to download.

The damage to studios from piracy is based on the assumption that people who would otherwise see the movie in the theater download it instead. This is false, it seems, so far as strict box-office is concerned.

What we might look for is an effect on DVD sales. Highly downloaded movies might see a smaller proportion of revenue from DVD sales than less downloaded movies, if piracy is really damaging.

[Mongo]

@Joey: Close, but no cigar. You wouldn't be stealing a car from a GM lot, you'd be making an unauthorized copy of the engineering drawings and then going off somewhere to build one yourself.

Most everything I've ever downloaded, if it was good I supported the manufacturer with dollars. Someone has to pay for R&D.

The thing is, "intellectual property" is bullshit. The first time I heard the term I literally laughed out loud. What if the guy who discovered fire had intellectual property rights over it? Where would we be?

Giving creators control over their art *for a limited time* to provide the profits they deserve for their work is all good. But, copyright reform has twisted that concept to hell and back, and that art no longer enters the public domain.

The funniest thing about pirating movies is this. I never pirated a movie in my life before Hollywood broke my DVD player by putting something into their discs that prevented them from working on my system. I am *forced* to break the encryption on their discs if I want to watch them on my equipment. The first thing I do when I rent a movie is rip it and burn it - I can't watch it otherwise.

The studios are their own worst enemies when it comes to this. Digital Rights Management software is an extremely poorly thought out business model.

And in the end, they're making record profits anyway. So, I guess home recording didn't kill the music industry... err... pirating didn't kill the movie industry, after all.

[user]

Hey VooDoo...

When you attempt to make your auteuristic movie for the love of art whose ultimate purpose is to touch its audience, let me know how your Craigslist ad is received when you advertise for a crew and cast to work on the movie for free.

[Venkatesh]

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