Annie among 'leaked' Sony films following cyber-attack

Cameron Diaz stars in Annie, due for release on 19 December, but apparently leaked

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Five films distributed by Sony Pictures appear to have been leaked online following a reported cyber-attack on the company last month.

Among the titles is a remake of classic film Annie, which is not due for release until 19 December.

The company was reported to have shut down its internal systems last week due to an "IT matter".

Some have linked the cyber-attack to forthcoming film The Interview, Sony's comedy about North Korea.

That film does not appear to have been leaked.

However, reports say other high-profile titles have been circulated. Among them Fury, starring Brad Pitt, which was in cinemas in October but is yet to be made available on DVD.

According to research firm Excipio, Mr Turner, Still Alice and To Write Love on Her Arms are also being distributed and downloaded.

In a statement, the company said: "Sony Pictures continues to work through issues related to what was clearly a cyber attack last week.

"The company has restored a number of important services to ensure ongoing business continuity and is working closely with law enforcement officials to investigate the matter."

Korea row

In The Interview, Seth Rogen and James Franco play two reporters who have been granted an audience with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

The CIA then enlists the pair to assassinate him.

Technology news site Recode quotes unnamed sources saying the possibility that North Korea may have targeted Sony is being investigated.

Brad Pitt's Fury was released in October, but is not yet out on DVD

The site said: "The sources stress that a link to North Korea hasn't been confirmed, but has not been ruled out, either."

In July, North Korea complained to the United Nations that the film, which will be released on 25 December, was "the most undisguised sponsoring of terrorism as well as a war action".

The country's UN envoy Ja Song-Nam said there would be a "merciless response" if the film was not cancelled.

In response, Rogen joked on Twitter: "People don't usually wanna kill me for one of my movies until after they've paid 12 bucks for it."

#GOP

Little is known about the breach of Sony's systems last month.

A group calling itself the Guardians of Peace - #GOP - claimed responsibility.

Some reports said some computers of Sony employees displayed a picture of a skeleton, threatening to release large amounts of data from the company.

The early leak of films is considered, by the film industry, to have a devastating effect on the potential success of a title.

Last month, in an unrelated case, police in the UK arrested two men alleged to have leaked the Expendables 3 before its release date.

Some calculations said the leak of the film meant $10m (£6.4m) in lost box-office takings - although others said it is difficult to determine the true effect of piracy.

Follow Dave Lee on Twitter @DaveLeeBBC