A week after several national cinema chains decided to pull The Interview from their schedules, thus prompting Sony Pictures to cancel the movie’s theatrical release, it appears some people will get to see the Seth Rogen-James Franco comedy on its scheduled Christmas Day release after all.
Independent movie theaters and chains had requested to show The Interview in light of national distributors such as Regal, Carmike and Cinemark deciding not to show the film due to terrorist threats from hacker group “Guardians of Peace.” The hackers had been leaking Sony documents and emails in an attempt to coerce the studio into canceling the movie’s release. Sony gave in when national chains said they wouldn’t show the film, causing a nationwide uproar over artistic freedom and caving into terrorist demands.
But Sony is now turning around and allowing smaller theaters to show The Interview. Alamo Drafthouse was one of the first to announce it would be playing the movie beginning on Christmas Day.
Breaking news: Sony has authorized screenings of THE INTERVIEW on Christmas Day. We are making shows available within the hour. #Victory
— Tim League (@timalamo) December 23, 2014
The Detroit News reports that the State Theater in Ann Arbor, Mich. is another independent theater that will show the movie. (As a near-lifelong resident of Ann Arbor, I applaud my hometown and Michigan Theater CEO Russ Collins.) However, another metro Detroit art theater won’t be playing The Interview because it’s not the sort of independent fare usually shown on its screens.
The people have spoken! Freedom has prevailed! Sony didn’t give up! The Interview will be shown at theaters willing to play it on Xmas day!
— Seth Rogen (@Sethrogen) December 23, 2014
According to The Wrap, approximately 200 theaters — including the Plaza Theater in Atlanta, the MX Theaters in St. Louis and others in Ohio, Virginia and South Carolina — will show The Interview on Christmas Day and are now selling tickets for showtimes. Sony is also planning a video on demand release to coincide with the theatrical release, though a deal with Dish Network fell through. CNN’s Brian Stelter reports that the studio hasn’t been able to reach agreement with an on-demand distributor yet.
More theaters are expected to announce showings of The Interview on Tuesday.
