North Korea calls Seth Rogen and James Franco comedy an 'act of war'

SEOUL, South Korea (KABC) -- "The Interview" might redefine what it means to bomb at the box office. North Korea is warning that the release of the new American comedy would be an "act of war."

In the film, Seth Rogen and James Franco play journalists who land an exclusive interview with North Korea's supreme leader Kim Jong Un and are then asked by the CIA to try to assassinate him.

Movie lovers on Hollywood's Walk of Fame can't wait for the slapstick hijinks to hit the screen, but not everyone is as excited.

The North Korean government issued a warning Wednesday, saying that a film about assassinating their leader is a tantamount to an "act of war."

An unidentified spokesman for North Korea's Foreign Ministry says that if the U.S. government doesn't block the movie's release, it will face "stern" and "merciless" retaliation.

The "reckless U.S. provocative insanity" of mobilizing a "gangster filmmaker" to challenge the North's leadership is triggering "a gust of hatred and rage" among North Korean people and soldiers, the spokesman said, in typically heated propaganda language.

Rogen, who co-wrote and co-directed the film, seems a lot more cheerful than fearful. On Wednesday, he tweeted: "People don't usually wanna kill me for one of my movies until after they've paid 12 bucks for it. Hiyooooo!!!."

Most movie lovers say North Korea's government just doesn't get it, but this isn't the first time Hollywood has taken aim at North Korea's leadership. It happened back in 2004 when the creators of "South Park" released "Team America."

The marionette-infused musical skewered the late Kim Jong Il, and yet it never got much of a reaction from Pyongang.

Ever since taking over, Kim Jong Il's son hasn't exactly shown his self-deprecating side. Kim Jong Un has shown plenty of military muscle from taking the lead on his rusting submarine to directing his country's most advanced weapons system. He reportedly fed his uncle to dogs and executed his ex-girlfriend over a sex tape.

"All the random facts about North Korea and Kim Jung Un you hear in the movie are real," Rogen said in an interview.

And while some can see how "The Interview" is politically charged, mostly everyone seems to think that North Korea should focus less on an iron fist, and more on a funny bone.

There is no indication that the U.S. is asking anyone to can the movie for national security purposes.

Movie City News Editor David Poland says all the free publicity will turn "The Interview" from a possible flop to a sure hit.

"I think this is possibly their happiest day in marketing at Sony ever," Poland said. "It's the first time you'll have a movie where it's your American duty to actually go see the movie and stick it to the North Koreans."

Trailers have been released for the movie, which is set to hit U.S. theaters in October.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.