Home / Channel / Millenium Films goes after Expendables 3 downloaders

Millenium Films goes after Expendables 3 downloaders

In a move that's become quite rare for copyright holders, one of the production companies behind the Expendables 3 movie, Millenium Films, has started targeting those that it thinks downloaded the movie with DMCA requests, as well as making demands for cash settlements. Alleged downloaders are being given until the 5th October to make a payment in recompense.

As it stands however, Millenium Films is fishing. By having the DMCA requests sent on to potential downloader IPs, requesting that anyone who downloaded the film illegally not only pay up, but also register their details. It's not quite clear why Millenium expects anyone to announce their complicity, but clearly the plan is to create a list of people that it can potentially sue down the road – if they don't pay the settlement.

“If within the prescribed time period described above you fail to (i) respond or settle, or (ii) provide by email to [email protected] written evidence of your having consent or permission from Millennium Films to use the Work in connection with Peer-to-Peer networks (note that fraudulent submissions may give rise to additional liabilities), the above matter may be referred to attorneys representing the Work’s owner for legal action,” the settlement demand reads.

expensdables3
I wonder why Randy Couture drew the ‘short' straw for this image?

As TorrentFreak explains, it's not clear what the demanded settlement amounts are at this time, though Expendables 2 downloaders are also being targeted with demands for $300.

This is a tactic that isn't much used these days and it's clear why, as many DMCA complaints are going to VPN firms, which with their no-log initiatives, can't forward the notice on to customers as it's not clear who the downloader was. It may be a case that Millenium tries to go after the VPNs next, as Expendables 3 distributor Lionsgate has been swinging for the fences in legal action against torrent sites and ISPs since the film appeared online a week before the official release.

KitGuru Says: Of course the real crime here isn't the peoople that shared the film online, but the person who leaked the original DVD. Lionsgate and others would look like much more likeable companies and it would be far more effective, if they diligently searched out who was responsibly and punished them publicly, rather than trying to drag people that are essentially fans of the movie, through the courts. 

Become a Patron!

Check Also

EKWB Whistleblower Dan Henderson speaks to KitGuru

Following on from our recent interview with EKWB's CEO, Leo is now getting the other side of the story, straight from Dan Henderson himself, the one who initially acted as the 'whistleblower' for EKWB's internal issues.

13 comments

  1. “Of course the real crime here isn’t the peoople that shared the film online, but the person who leaked the original DVD. Lionsgate and others would look like much more likeable companies and it would be far more effective, if they diligently searched out who was responsibly and punished them publicly, rather than trying to drag people that are essentially fans of the movie, through the courts. ” What? So you support illegal movie downloading? I mean you have GOT to be kidding me. I will admit that illegal downloading for video games has its uses, mainly to find out if the game is good enough to spend money on. But illegal movie or series downloading has no excuses because you are not paying when you will basically watch the whole thing.

  2. double standards much ??

    Your argument for Video Games can be used for every piece of media that is illegally downloaded. You have misunderstood what Jon was saying, he never said he condoned piracy he implied that it would be more effective to try and find the person who originally leaked the film instead of pursuing the downloaders. Finding the point of origin of where the file came from would be alot easier than trying to trace millions of people who downloaded the film (a good portion of which would have used a VPN service).

    when you download a game do you just play the first half hour of it ? maybe only if you dislike it. In all probability you will play the whole game and then decide if you enjoyed it enough to want to part with your money, the same can be said of films. If I am watching a movie on TV/Netflix/Googletv whatever, I decide within the first half hour if I want to watch the rest of it or not.

    Either you completely disagree with Piracy or you do not, there is no middle ground or special circumstances.

  3. The movie still grossed $180 million, and it’s not all that great of a movie (not just my opinion, 33% approval rating on rotten tomato, 4.9/10 stars), so to be honest I’m not sure the piracy crap actually affected their profits all that much – it was just a bad movie. And lets face it, anyone who was going to see it in the theater most likely went to see it anyway regardless of whether they had pirated it first or not because most people who go to the movies go for the social aspect and the experience you get at a movie theater which you just don’t get at home on your PC.

  4. he said that people who shared the film online didnt participate in the real crime … clearly what is written -.-‘ he therefore condones piracy, which is sharing the illegal film online -.-‘

  5. Carlos Quiroz Mandela

    Why would someone download this piece of sheit movie?

  6. ok where to start…..”he said that people who shared the film online didnt participate in the real crime … clearly what is written -.-‘ he therefore condones piracy, which is sharing the illegal film online -.-‘
    So no, I did not misunderstand what Jon was saying. (Thank you very much)”

    The real crime there is the UPLOADING of the film, whilst downloading is still illegal it wouldn’t be possible without the person who uploaded it and believe me when that person gets caught they will be handed a much stricter sentence than any Downloader because it is MORE OF A CRIME.

    next ” are you trying to tell me that you have a bought a film that you had already watched from a pirated version? or even less believable that you watched the first 30 minutes of a film, did not buy it, and then bought it, and only then finished it? really?”

    I constantly buy films after I have watched them from pirated versions and so does every other member of the pirating community that I know. If I watch a film and then turn it off at the 30 minutes mark it’s because I hated it and didn’t want to watch anymore, so no I have never bought a film that has fallen into that category and I never suggested that I did so you misunderstood a comment once again.

    lets see….”There are also some cases where movies or games are banned in a country, one could very well be against piracy except for this case? don’t you think?”

    So it’s the movie company or games companies fault that a country has banned their product and so they should be financially punished because of it…..that’s a dumb suggestion. What is needed is a change in the Governments idea’s of censorship so that the games and film companies can at least have a shot at selling their product and let the Governments “force” people into pirating. Also just so we are clear I have never once posted that I am against piracy, my post was about putting your mistakes right. I have pirated games for the last 30 years, my very first copied game was “Way Of The Exploding Fist” for the C64. and I now own over a thousand of games across many platforms.

    oh dear…….”Can my argument for video games be used for every piece of media that is illegally downloaded ? no, I really don’t think so.In fact, I think that each person has his own views on what should or should not be illegally downloaded form the internet. ”

    How is it ok to pirate a Game but not a movie ? how the hell is that any different ?? You are still making a copy of a product, that you do not own and have no right to access it, for you own use with buying it from the proper source. COPYING IS COPYING it is the same for every single piece of media available to illegally download only a complete idiot would think there is a difference in the fundamentals of piracy.

    This next bit is a doozy……”Most online art is under the creative commons banner and therefore shouldn’t get pirated. I believe that music that is too expensive or that only goes to enrich already rich people can be pirated”

    so let me get this straight online art shouldn’t be touched but music is ok??? tell me on any of you media players that deal with music what are the main categories of the libraries ? SONG TITLE, ALBUM , ARTIST musicians are ARTISTS and what do artists produce?? ART, so by your working out music should not be touched either but then you say it should because it’s too expensive, I have never heard of a piece of music being sold for $10million unlike some artwork…….In every line of media the only people who make real money are the publishing houses which is why it is the publishers who keep trying to get pirate sites shut down.

    and yet more incorrect info coming…..”Software falls in the same category as video games, you need to know what it does and how it does it before paying for it, especially since software generally bears a higher price tag then games. ”

    Software (decent software) will usually come with a trial period or something similar even if it doesn’t you can always find a tutorial video on youtube about it, so your argument falls short.

    hmmmm…..”Actually, for me, even game pirating abide by a certain set of rules, for example I am much more prone to illegally download a game from EA because I hate origin,”

    If you really wanted to make a statement to EA then you shouldn’t touch any of their games at all, ever. your version seems incredibly hypocritical to me, even if you only have a problem with Origin itself you could buy the game and then obtain a crack that renders Origin obsolete and un-needed to run the game…..

    so as I said before it is either all or nothing you can not be a selective pirate, either everything is fair game or it is not, it is your choice but don’t be hypocritical about things it’s not a good way to lead your life.

  7. You know what, you are such an asshole I won’t bother replying to this comment. Because not tonly what you say makes no sense and you defend your arguments in the wrong ways, but you act like you are superior to me and I really hate that so yeah, when you understand that a debate is two sided and not about insulting other people, maybe I’ll answer to this and tell you that you are spouting nonsensical bs.

  8. Richard Arlan Carter III

    Sorry to butt in, but this^^^^ up here technically counts as a reply to his comment. Just saying.

  9. touché

  10. I just came here to read the comments…

  11. Sarah Anne Trainerforlife

    What about in europe where the laws are different is he really going to spend the time sending europeans letters ?

    IPS’s in the UK especially Virgin Media have a new 3 strike policy that
    was put into place earlier this year, they send you a letter educating
    you on legal ways to download films etc

  12. look, Im not trying to be an asshat here, you originally accused the author of condoning piracy which he clearly did not, it was a wrong interpretation on your behalf that started all this. If you don’t wish to continue the discussion it’s fine, as no-one ever really wins an internet argument anyways.

    Enjoy the rest of your life.

    Peace.

  13. Companies still care about piracy ? You’re never going to stop it and your never go to hunt down the people that do it. Blame the moron employee who leaked the movie. You guys made 100million in profit from the box office alone, leave it be an move on. The most pirated movie was Fast 5 and over 90% of the people who downloaded were outside the US, in countries where they don’t comply with US Laws. All you’re doing is wasting your money fighting a criminal that can’t be caught.