Sony Pictures Entertainment will release The Interview on Christmas Day in a limited number of theaters and possibly across multiple platforms.
The move follows the company’s decision Dec. 17 to cancel the film’s scheduled nationwide theatrical release. At the time, Sony said in a statement that it had “no further release plans for the film,” including video on-demand. Speculation had shifted toward a VOD release when plans to scuttle the theatrical release became known.
A statement Tuesday from Sony Entertainment chairman and CEO Michael Lynton indicated that the release now could expand to include VOD or other non-theatrical platforms.
"We have never given up on releasing The Interview and we're excited our movie will be in a number of theaters on Christmas Day," Lynton said. "At the same time, we are continuing our efforts to secure more platforms and more theaters so that this movie reaches the largest possible audience."
Sony canceled its original plans for The Interview, which depicts the fictional assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, in the wake of a cyber attack and threats by hackers believed to be connected to the North Korean dictatorship. The move drew criticism from Hollywood’s creative community and from President Obama, who called Sony’s decision “a mistake” in his press conference Friday.
