Whoops! Sony uploads entire film to YouTube instead of trailer
Khali the Killer appears to get a premature -- and free -- online release.
When you see a title like Khali the Killer: Official Red Band Trailer Now on DVD & Digital, you expect a video that isn't more than two minutes long.
However, Sony Pictures Entertainment seemed to have accidentally uploaded the entire film to YouTube rather than just a teaser. The link now leads to a blank video page, meaning Sony has taken the movie down after it remained up for hours on Tuesday.
An astute Reddit user brought our attention to the apparent uploading mishap, which prompted some snarky replies in the comment sections. "Another trailer that spoils the whole film!" complains one Redditor. A YouTube user says, "Trailer gave the whole plot away. Pass." Another YouTube user had this astute observation: "It's just the trailer the whole movie will be 4 hours."
Khali the Killer is an under-the-radar release about a hit man in East Los Angeles. It stars Richard Cabral from the Lethal Weapon television series and the upcoming Mayans M.C.
The trailer was supposed to promote the streaming and DVD versions of the movie. That might have been a hard sell if the full film remained online, but it seems the window for a free viewing has now closed.
In these days of clever online publicity moves, though, it's conceivable the whole-film upload is just a smart marketing stunt designed to shine light on a lesser-known movie. CNET contacted Sony Pictures to see whether the upload was accidental, but Sony hasn't yet responded.
Originally published July 3 at 7:31 a.m. PT.
Updated at 7:49 a.m. PT: To note that Sony has now taken down the film.
