'Iron Man 2' now available free online

Paramount's rush to release "Iron Man 2" overseas was reportedly made in order to give it more time before June's World Cup captures everyone's attention.

Despite grossing $100.2 million in international boxoffice this past weekend, there's a downside in releasing it abroad first: Camcorded versions of "Iron Man 2" are now being traded on the Pirate Bay and other torrent sites, well in advance of the film's Friday bow in North America.

What can we read from Paramount's decision? Is a mega sports event more than a month away a bigger threat than the prospect of piracy this week?

We're told Paramount wasn't too concerned about missing its numbers. Theatrical has been holding up well against piracy (home video is another story), and the superhero sequel is already tracking in the $150 million range for its opening domestic frame.

But remember the big stink Fox made last year around this time after "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" leaked before its theatrical debut. Now another major studio is basically shrugging off a leak as "disrespectful," nothing so alarming as to necessitate advance moves to mitigate the damage.

UPDATE:

A statement from Paramount: "Those who blatantly disregard laws and steal our movies electronically are no different from thieves on the street. And no matter where in the world such theft occurs, we work tirelessly with responsible governments to find and prosecute offenders.”