Downloading Wolverine Movie Can Cost You Your Job

That’s what happened for FoxNews.Com reporter Roger Friedman  after writing a review for X-Men Origins: Wolverine at their website. The critic  illegally downloaded a copy of the movie which is yet to be released for theaters.

X-Men Origins: Wolverine will be shown May 1.

Here’s an excerpt from the official report by Yahoo Movies:

Friedman, who wrote the Fox411 column for FoxNews.com, met with Fox News executives Monday . Following the meeting, the company issued a statement saying the parties had “mutually agreed to part ways immediately.”

Friedman could not be immediately reached for comment.

By admitting to having downloaded the film, which doesn’t arrive in theaters until May 1, Friedman earned a big thumbs-down from News Corp ., Fox News ‘ parent company.

The trouble began Tuesday when an illicit copy of the film made its debut onto the Web. Fox immediately condemned the theft and copying of an unfinished workprint of the film and enlisted the FBI and the Motion Picture Assn. of America to track down the perpetrators.

Downloading a copy of the film himself, Friedman wrote a positive review that appeared in his Fox411 column Thursday.

“I doubt anyone else has seen this film. But everyone can relax. I am, in fact, amazed about how great “Wolverine” turned out. It exceeds expectations at every turn,” he wrote.

But he also described how easy it is to download any film or TV show and joked he might decide to catch up on some other recent films via illegal downloads.