Seth Rogen, center, as Aaron, and James Franco, as Dave, arriving in North Korea to a welcoming crowd in a scene from “The Interview.”

LOS ANGELES: Sony Pictures on Thursday canceled the release of a madcap comedy about North Korea that triggered chilling threats from hackers, as US investigators reportedly blamed Pyongyang for a damaging cyber-raid on the movie giant.

The Hollywood studio announced the move after US theater chains said they would not screen “The Interview,” about a fictional plot to assassinate North Korean dictator Kim Jong-Un.

The dramatic action came as several US media outlets reported that investigators now believe North Korea was behind the devastating cyber-attack that saw hackers gain access to a trove of internal Sony documents and unreleased movies.

“In light of the decision by the majority of our (theater) exhibitors not to show the film ‘The Interview,’ we have decided not to move forward with the planned Dec. 25 theatrical release,” Sony said in a statement.

“Sony Pictures has no further release plans for the film,” a spokesman added to AFP, suggesting — though not confirming — the film will not even be released on DVD or in other formats.

Skittishness about attending the movie followed threats by the so-called GOP (Guardians of Peace) hacking group, which invoked the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks in an ominous warning to any movie-goers planning to see the film.

James Lewis, a former State Department official, said that “of the characters who are out there, the most likely suspect is North Korea.”

President Barack Obama said there was “no credible evidence” of any threats linked to movie theaters.

“For now, my recommendation would be: Go to the movies,” Obama told ABC News.

Hollywood filmmakers and actors voiced outrage. Actors Ben Stiller, Steve Carell, Rob Lowe, late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel and filmmaker Judd Apatow, all friends of “The Interview” stars Rogen and Franco, criticized the decision made by movie theaters and Sony.

Lowe, who has a cameo in the film, tweeted “Wow. Everyone caved. The hackers won. An utter and complete victory for them.”

Raunchy satire “The Interview” follows a hapless TV host (Franco) and producer (Rogen) who score an interview with the elusive North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, and are recruited by the CIA to assassinate him.

Kimmel, writing on Twitter, called the decision “an un-American act of cowardice that validates terrorist actions and sets a terrifying precedent.”

Stiller, who directed and starred in 2001’s “Zoolander,” about a male fashion model brainwashed to assassinate a fictional prime minister of Malaysia, called “The Interview” cancelation “a threat to freedom of expression.”

Carell, who has starred alongside Rogen in numerous comedies, said “Sad day for creative expression,” with the hashtag #feareatsthesoul.

The National Security Council said the US government had offered Sony “support and assistance” in response to the attack.

“The US government is working tirelessly to bring the perpetrators of this attack to justice, and we are considering a range of options in weighing a potential response,” the NSC said in a statement. the notion that studios might cave, might surrender to lunatics of the political fringe in terms of what movies they make and what movies they release.”

Actor Rob Lowe, among a number of stars who have small cameo roles in the movie, did not disguise his indignation at the Sony decision.

“Wow. Everyone caved. The hackers won. An utter and complete victory for them. Wow,” he said.

“Hollywood has done Neville Chamberlain proud today,” he added, in reference to the British leader’s infamous appeasement of Hitler before World War II.

[wpResize]