Sony releases ‘The Interview’ online for US consumers

‘The Interview’, a satirical comedy that triggered a cyber-attack on Sony Pictures, was released to United States consumers on Wednesday in an unprecedented online debut. Hacker threats prevented its wide release on Christmas day, but Sony made the film available for rental on Youtube. Microsoft Corp and Sony itself are also showing the comedy, a day before its premiere at around 320 independent theatres.

The film, which stars Seth Rogen and James Franco as TV personalities assigned to kill North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, cost Sony around $44 million, and it is unclear whether the studio will earn that money back.

Although the cyber-attack generated huge publicity for the film, the absence of major U.S. movie chains as exhibitors could severely cut into box office receipts. The chains pulled out of showing the film due to security concerns.

"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," Sony Entertainment Chief Executive Michael Lynton said in a statement. While adding that Sony had first reached out to Google, Microsoft "and other partners" on 17 December- the day the studio said it had no future plans to release the film.

Many Christmas Day screenings of the film were sold out, including one that begins right after midnight at the 184-seat Silent Movie Theatre in Los Angeles.

Theater owners said they were taking some extra security precautions and the Federal Bureau of Investigation said it had been in contact with them.

"When a film attracts this kind of hype, there has to be concerns," said Greg Laemmle, co-owner and president of art house chain Laemmle. "As long as we’re not being irresponsible in terms of addressing patron safety, we really need to support freedom of artistic expression."

Critical reviews of "The Interview" have so far been mixed. On the website Rotten Tomatoes, which compiles reviews from film critics, 54% of 35 reviewers rated the movie positively.

The movie prompted the most destructive-ever cyberattack on a company on U.S. soil in November and resulted in the release of embarrassing emails and confidential data.

U.S. President Barack Obama blamed the cyberattacks on North Korea and accused Sony of self-censorship and of caving into the hackers' demands. North Korea have denied their involvement in the hack.