Peninsula Daily News
and The Associated Press
Although none is on the North Olympic Peninsula, a few small movie theaters in Washington state were among those showing “The Interview” as part of Sony’s limited Christmas Day release of the film.
The film prompted an international incident after U.S. officials said North Korea had hacked Sony’s computers and leaked executives’ emails in retaliation.
Sony initially canceled plans for the release, following threats of attacks on theaters that played it, but changed course Tuesday, announcing an agreement with independent theaters to release it in more than 300 venues Christmas Day.
David McRae, owner of independent Ark Lodge Cinemas in Seattle’s Columbia City neighborhood, said Tuesday he had received permission from Sony Entertainment to show the Seth Rogen and James Franco comedy about a plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
“Before the notoriety, I was never interested in playing it,” said McRae, who hasn’t seen the film.
“It just looked like another R-rated ‘bromance’ comedy. But I do like satire.”
He added: “Artists have a right to have their work shown. Even Seth Rogen and James Franco deserve that.”
If the film is screened at all on the North Olympic Peninsula, it won’t be until after sometime after the Christmas weekend.
Next week is the earliest that Sun Basin Theatres in Wenatchee, the parent of Deer Park Cinemas in Port Angeles, might consider booking the controversial film.
Movie house owners in Port Townsend — both the Rose and the Uptown — said they hadn’t screened the film and might not book it even if it became available.
But in the Blue Fox Drive-In in Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island said on its website it planned to show “The Interview” today, Saturday and Sunday nights.
The Grand Cinema in Tacoma announced on its Facebook page that it would show the film once a day, at 9:20 p.m., for a week that began Christmas Day.
And on Wednesday, Sony Pictures broadly released “The Interview” online.
“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.”
“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 story on the movie’s online release, including links and prices, is posted at the PDN’s website, www.peninsuladailynews.com).
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.
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.
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.
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.”
But Kim said North Korea will likely limit its response to condemnation, with no “physical reaction.”
Darrell Foxworth, a special agent for the FBI in San Diego, said the agency is sharing information with independent movie theater owners showing “The Interview” out of “an abundance of caution” and to educate them about cyber threats and what help the FBI can offer.
“There’s nothing that’s specific or credible at this time,” Foxworth said.
“We’re sharing information with theater owners and will assist them. We want to raise awareness that cyberattacks are increasing.”
He added: “If you see suspicious activity, make sure to contact local law enforcement.”
Lynton said the release represented the company’s commitment to free speech.
“While we couldn’t have predicted the road this movie traveled to get to this moment, I’m proud our fight was not for nothing and that cyber criminals were not able to silence us,” he said.
