“The Interview” is finally coming to Canadian theaters.
Sony Pictures’ controversial assassination comedy will expand to a slew of new theaters on Friday, including 29 across Canada, an individual with knowledge of the situation told TheWrap. James Franco and Seth Rogen‘s film debuted Dec. 24 via video on demand (VOD) and on Dec. 25 in limited U.S. theaters.
As TheWrap previously reported, “The Interview” was originally slated to see wide release on Christmas Day, but a string of vicious hacks and threats prompted Sony Pictures Entertainment to shelve the film temporarily. The hackers, identified by the U.S. government as North Korean, had vowed a 9/11-style attack against theater patrons should Sony proceed with the releasing the movie, which violently depicts the death of their nation’s supreme leader, Kim Jong-un.
This prompted major theater chains in the United States to opt out of showing “The Interview,” which in turn compelled Sony to indefinitely postpone its release. But public pressure mounted against the studio’s decision, with President Barack Obama calling it a mistake.
Sony eventually reversed its position and made an 11th-hour deal to release the film on Dec. 24, a day earlier than originally scheduled, through various VOD services including Google Play and YouTube. “The Interview” moved into select theaters on Dec. 25, with plans to expand to additional screens later on.
Rogen and Franco’s film made an unprecedented $15 million in its online opening.