The Movie Blog is reporting that Paramount Pictures had the movie site IESB.net shut down over some unofficial Iron Man pictures and a set video. It’s hard to discern what all the facts are here, but it’s clear that the site is down, and they were running some Iron Man content before they went down. The quote from the article states:

Robert Sanchez over at IESB contacted me to let me know that Paramount is at it again. If I understand it right… Paramount used their mighty legal department to have IESB shut down and pulled off the net over the Iron Man pictures and a set video.

The article goes on to mention the legality of the content posting, but I think that’s irrelevant to the matter at hand. If Paramount did have the site shut down, it’s a supremely lame move. It’s a well known fact among webmasters that studios dislike the internet. Traditional media, newspapers and television, are given full access to just about everything, but anytime a website comes across something it’s considered an interloper. The suits that run the studios don’t seem to grasp that the internet’s reach is far superior to any local paper or even nationally televised programming. Thus, the internet is considered somewhat of a hassle to put up with, and cease and desist notices are the norm, not the exception. The Movie Blog faced the same thing over Transformers pictures, and Paramount eventually had to apologize. This will probably be the same deal (see below for confirmation that this was indeed the same deal).

Look, Paramount can take exception to their content being posted. I don’t knock them for that. They can decide that IESB will never get invited to Paramount screenings or receive Paramount information going forward, that would be well within their rights. They can sue until their heart is content and I wouldn’t have a leg to stand on if a site had ignored a cease and desist. But taking a site down completely? That’s not good business OR the right thing to do.

It’s also been theorized that Paramount did this as a publicity stunt. If that’s the case it’s even more shameful — IESB.net makes a living off of traffic, and denying them a few days of it to get Iron Man buzz out there is highly unethical.

Lastly, where is the harm to Paramount here? People talking about Iron Man? Yes, I can see where that would be a problem. Or is the issue that people will see these photos and say, “No way am I seeing that. Ever!!!” The fact is that IESB’s lost revenue is a much bigger deal to the people who run that site than any potential losses Paramount faces well before Iron Man is released.

I scowl in your general direction, Paramount Pictures. You’re better than that.

**UPDATE**

I managed to email with Stephanie, co-owner of IESB.net, who verified that the Paramount legal team did work in conjunction with the hosting company to have the site yanked from the web. The site has now been restored, with Paramount’s apologies, but it seems insane that this keeps happening. I guess Paramount Pictures isn’t better than these two instances after all; perhaps they’re exactly what they seem to be, a bully studio whose legal team acts completely without direction or logic. Nice work, guys. We’ll try not to pub Iron Man from here on out. Wouldn’t want to get on your bad side! Also, please give IESB.net a few clicks here to help them recoup their losses from the studio’s overtly hostile gesture.

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LaremyLegel.com, please don’t shut me down.