When Matt Stone and Trey Parker released Team America: World Police in 2004, little to no noise was made. Sure, critics in the United States had a field-day discussing all of the different aspects of American and North Korean life that the South Park creators took jabs at, but there was seemingly no response from Kim Jong Il or North Korea itself. Thus, when Seth Rogen and James Franco decided to write a film discussing the assassination of Kim Jong Un, the duo most likely did not expect the response the film has received.

On Wednesday, North Korea released a statement from its state-run news agency, KCNA, in which it denounced Rogen and Franco’s film, entitled The Interview, stating that if the United States did not act to censor or ban the movie, it would experience a “merciless counter-measure” from North Korea itself.

“Making and releasing a movie on a plot to hurt our top-level leadership is the most blatant act of terrorism and war and will absolutely not be tolerated,” a foreign ministry spokesman was quoted as saying by KCNA.

People don't usually wanna kill me for one of my movies until after they've paid 12 bucks for it. Hiyooooo!!!

— Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) June 25, 2014

In The Interview, Seth Rogen and James Franco play a television personality and his producer who just happen to land a once-in-a-lifetime, sit-down interview with Kim Jong Un himself. However, before the two can embark for North Korea, the CIA enlists them to help the United States assassinate the leader of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

Kim Myong-chol, executive director of The Centre for North Korea-US Peace and an unofficial spokesman for Jong Un, shared his thoughts on the film with The Telegraph:

There is a special irony in this storyline as it shows the desperation of the US government and American society. A film about the assassination of a foreign leader mirrors what the US has done in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and Ukraine. And let us not forget who killed [President John F.] Kennedy – Americans… In fact, President [Barack] Obama should be careful in case the US military wants to kill him as well.

After his diatribe, however, Myong-chol divulged that he still thought Kim Jong Un would watch the film, despite the protests.

Apparently Kim Jong Un plans on watching #TheInterview. I hope he likes it!! http://t.co/5VrsgYlydE

— Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) June 20, 2014

The film is set to hit theaters on October 14, and so far the United States has not made a move to stop its release.

Image via YouTube