Rogen, Franco 'cancel Interview appearances'

Seth Rogen and James Franco have reportedly cancelled upcoming media appearances for new film The Interview.

The actors star in the forthcoming comedy, about a couple of tabloid reporters recruited by the CIA to assassinate North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un.

The project has been marred in controversy, with hackers recently exposing internal correspondence among executives at Sony, the studio behind the film.

A hacker group calling themselves The Guardians of Peace have claimed responsibility, although it remains unclear who exactly is behind the cyber attack.

Threats reached a new level, however, when the group allegedly threatened a 9/11-inspired attack on theatres that plan to show the upcoming film, BuzzFeed now reports.

“The world will be full of fear,” reads a message from the group. “Remember the 11th of September 2001. We recommend you to keep yourself distant from the places at that time. (If your house is nearby, you’d better leave.) Whatever comes in the coming days is called by the greed of Sony Pictures Entertainment.”

The message has reportedly now prompted the film’s stars to pull upcoming media appearances.

Insiders tell Variety Seth and James are still scheduled to appear at a New York City screening Thursday.

The actors appeared at a premiere in Los Angeles last week, although they declined to speak with the media.

The US Department of Homeland Security has reportedly told TMZ 9/11-type threats are not credible.

"We are still analysing the credibility of these statements, but at this time there is no credible intelligence to indicate an active plot against movie theaters within the United States,” a DHS spokesperson said, according to the outlet.

The Interview is scheduled for US release Christmas Day.