'The Interview' shown in the Triangle
DURHAM (WTVD) -- The Northgate Stadium theater in Durham was among the cinemas across the country Christmas Day that elected to show "The Interview."
Sony Pictures initially cancelled the screening the comedy depicting the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after it was the victim of a massive hacking attack.
Sony released the movie broadly online Wednesday and it opened in independent theaters Christmas Day.
"The Interview" became available on a variety of digital platforms Wednesday afternoon, including Google Play, YouTube Movies, Microsoft's Xbox Video and a separate Sony website, a day after Sony and independent theaters agreed to release it in over 300 venues on Christmas. The wide digital release is the culmination of a set of deals that have been in the works since the major theater chains last week dropped the movie that was to have opened on as many as 3,000 screens.
"It has always been Sony's intention to have a national platform on which to release this film," Sony Pictures chair and CEO Michael Lynton said in a statement. "We chose the path of digital distribution first so as to reach as many people as possible on opening day, and we continue to seek other partners and platforms to further expand the release."
Kim Song, a North Korean diplomat to the United Nations, condemned the release, calling the movie an "unpardonable mockery of our sovereignty and dignity of our supreme leader." However, Kim said North Korea will likely limit its response to condemnation, with no "physical reaction."
Seth Rogen, who stars in the film he co-directed with Evan Goldberg, cheered the decision.
"I need to say that a comedy is best viewed in a theater full of people. So if you can, I'd watch it like that, or call some friends over," he tweeted.
It was unclear whether the company will recoup the $40 million cost of the film and the millions more spent on marketing by deciding to release it online through affordable formats.
Sony has not ruled out the possibility of screenings of the film by major theater chains, though their symbiotic relationship has eroded in recent days.
Decisions by Google and Microsoft to show the movie could open their sites to hacking. Microsoft reported technical problems with its Xbox sign-in system Wednesday, though it wasn't known whether it was the result of hacking. Microsoft declined to comment.
Sony's initial decision not to release the film was widely criticized, with President Barack Obama one of the harshest critics.
U.S. officials have blamed North Korea for the hacking, and White House spokesman Eric Schultz said Obama welcomed the latest development.
Obama, asked whether he plans to watch the film, paused his golf game and smiled.
"I'm glad it's being released," he said on the 18th hole.
Obama was golfing with Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak at a military base in Hawaii, where the president and his family are vacationing.
