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# Sony Didn’t Want to Kick the “Hornet’s Nest” with new “Concussion” Film

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<!-- video src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/HQjDvWCo.m3u8" -->
## Video: Sony Didn’t Want to Kick the “Hornet’s Nest” with new “Concussion” Film

[Watch (HLS stream): Sony Didn’t Want to Kick the “Hornet’s Nest” with new “Concussion” Film](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/HQjDvWCo.m3u8) (1:40)

![Sony Didn’t Want to Kick the “Hornet’s Nest” with new “Concussion” Film](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/HQjDvWCo/poster.jpg?width=720)

_Published 2015-09-03. Sony executives referred to the NFL as a “hornet’s nest.”_


---

Jul 27, 2023 6:46 PM UTC

---

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---


## Transcript

You're going to war with a corporation that owns a day of the week. Sony released a trailer for Will Smith's newest film, concussion. Detailing the work of Dr. Bennett Omalu, the man who discovered chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE. The condition is caused by repeated blows to the head, the same kind many NFL players can expect throughout their career. CTE can cause confusion, depression, and progressive dementia. Many expect the film, with it's poignant title and controversial subject matter, to be a nuisance to the film. The emails from last years Sony hack suggests that the movie studio has been very careful to not " kick the hornet's nest" with it's new film.

The New York Times details some of the exchanges between Will Smith's representatives, director Peter Landsman, and other Sony execs One email from Smith's reps talks about marketing the film as more of a whistle blower story rather then a critique of the NFL. " Will is not anti football ( nor is the movie ) and isn't planning to be a spokesman for what football should be or shouldn't be ." The Times also spoke to director Peter Landsman about what the film did and did not do to avoid antagonizing the NFL. There as never an instance where we compromised the storytelling to protect ourselves from the NFL.

Well I've always been aware of the dangers or I thought I was. Former 49ers linebacker, Chris Borland, who retired after his rookie year citing fears about concussions, viewed a screening of the film and says the movie was still plenty powerful. Afterward he reportedly was literally physically shaking. Tell the truth. Concussion is scheduled to open Christmas 2015.

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