The Town with Matthew Belloni Why the Former Sony Head Blames Himself for the Infamous Hack
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Feb 20, 2026 
Michael Lynton, former Sony Pictures chief and current Snap chairman, reflects on greenlighting The Interview and the fallout from the infamous Sony hack. He explains how talent, emotions, and studio processes shaped that decision. The conversation touches on security, industry changes since 2017, leadership contrasts between tech and studios, and hard lessons about owning mistakes.
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Greenlight Swayed By A Table Read
- Michael Lynton describes greenlighting The Interview after a hilarious table read with Seth Rogen and actors that swept the room.
- He admits the decision broke Sony's normal process and came from wanting to fit in with the talent rather than sober review.
Wanting To Be One Of The Crowd
- Lynton says he wanted to
Tried To Reign In The Assassination
- Within a week Lynton asked writers to remove the assassination and tone the film down after second thoughts.
- Seth Rogen called him a coward and refused, and Sony ultimately stood by the filmmakers.