“The Interview” Rented or Purchased Online More than Two Million Times
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Sony(NEW YORK) — Though it didn’t receive a wide release in theaters on Christmas Day, as was originally planned, Sony’s controversial film The Interview has proven to be a hit with the online crowd.
Sony says the Seth Rogen-James Franco comedy was rented or purchased online more than two million times from Christmas Eve, when it debuted on multiple platforms, through Saturday. It earned more than $15 million during that span.
The Interview is now Sony’s top-performing online film ever.
The Interview was released Christmas Eve on Google Play, YouTube Movies, Microsoft’s Xbox Video, and SeeTheInterview.com. Apple’s iTunes Store began carrying it on Sunday, with Rogen and Franco live-tweeting the film.
Sony chose to distribute The Interview online after it cancelled the film’s Christmas Day release. Several major theater chains had said they would not screen the movie in the wake of threats from hackers.
More than 300 theaters ultimately opted to show The Interview, which depicts the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. It has earned an estimated 2.8 million dollars in those theaters since Christmas Day.
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