An early review of X-Men Origins:  Wolverine by Fox News’ Fox411 blogger Roger Friedman has raised the ire of sister company 20th Century Fox, which made the film.  The review based on the incomplete pirated copy posted on the Internet (see “Wolverine Rough Cut Leaks”) was positive, but was quickly removed from the Fox News Website.   A statement released by the studio on Friday said of the review, “This behavior is reprehensible and we condemn this act categorically—whether the review is good or bad.” 

As the most embarrassing advance leak of a film in history, the release of the early cut of Wolverine was bad enough for Fox without a writer for another division of the company taking advantage of the leak to write a review of the incomplete version.  As of Saturday, the studio was claiming that Friedman had been terminated, saying in a statement, “When we advised Fox News of the facts they took immediate action, removed the post, and promptly terminated Mr. Friedman.” 

But Friedman told both Variety and Hollywood Reporter on Sunday that he had not been fired, and Fox news was saying only that it was an internal matter that it was not discussing.