North Korea threatened the U.S. government on Wednesday, promising "merciless" retaliation over the release of a Hollywood action-comedy film about a plot to assassinate its leader Kim Jong Un.

Cited by state-run Korean Central News Agency, a spokesman for its Ministry of Foreign Affairs threatened Washington that if the movie was released it would be interpreted as an "act of war" to challenge North Korea's leadership, triggering a "gust of hatred and rage" among its citizens and soldiers and would not be tolerated.

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He blasted the U.S. for its "provocative insanity" in condoning a "gangster filmmaker" to ridicule and defile their country's supreme leader.

"If the United States administration tacitly approves or supports the release of this film, we will take a decisive and merciless countermeasure," he added.

The unidentified spokesman didn't specify the movie's title but is clearly referring to the latest Hollywood film "The Interview" starring Seth Rogen and James Franco, which is slated to be released in the U.S. this October.

The movie plot centers on a talk show host and his producer who travels to North Korea after landing an exclusive interview with its supreme leader, Kim Jong Un, after which they are asked by the CIA to assassinate him.

In secretive North Korea, its leaders are treated with the utmost respect and regarded as godlike beings ruling over its people. Any untoward actions or words that mock or ridicule them are met with harsh criticism.

Since it has no independent press of its own, it assumes that any criticism from foreign personalities and news media are done so at the command of their government, The New York Times said.

For instance, South Korea has been repeatedly warned that Seoul will be bombed if it did not stop publication of articles that mocked the North's leadership.

North Korea's former leader, Kim Jong Il, was a noted Hollywood movie fan and collector and often used film as tools for propaganda. During the 1970s, he had reportedly ordered the kidnap of noted South Korean film director Shin Sang Ok who raised the bar in North Korea's film making standards until he escaped in 1987, according to an article in The Economist.

The late leader also wrote film manifestos such as "The Cinema and Directing" which claimed that a director's ultimate goal was to "aim high in creation."

Tagshollywood, Seth Rogen, James Franco, Kim Jong Il, movie, The Interview, North Korea, U.S.