Despite several threats from hackers Sony (SNE) Pictures is making the controversial Seth Rogen comedy available at a limited number of theaters starting on Christmas.
Sony Pictures Entertainment Chief Executive, Michael Lynton, said the studio was looking for more options to screen the film, which major US theater chains pulled because of threats from hackers who warned of a September 11, 2001 style of attack.
Lynton said in Tuesday’s statement: “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.” He said Sony was trying to secure other platforms and more theaters “so that this movie reaches the largest possible audience.”
US President Barack Obama has welcomed the decision by Sony to screen the comedy about North Korea in a limited number of US cinemas on Christmas Day.
He had earlier criticised Sony for pulling the film following a cyber-attack and threats against cinemas.
Mr Obama had called Sony’s earlier decision to cancel the film’s release a “mistake”.
The US has accused North Korea of being behind the cyber-attack.
North Korea has denied that it was behind the cyber-attack on Sony. But it praised the attack and had long condemned The Interview, which depicts a fictional plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
The Interview was originally due to be released on up to 3,000 screens on Christmas Day.
The film is expected to show in 200 mostly independent and art-house cinemas on Thursday. Hackers have threatened fresh attacks.
A national security official said US authorities did not rate the threats by hackers against theatergoers as credible and that he was unaware of any plans by U.S. agencies to issue warnings of possible attacks on exhibitors screening the film.
North Korea experienced Internet problems at the weekend and a complete outage of nearly nine hours before links were largely restored on Tuesday; U.S. officials said Washington was not involved.
