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[Variety] ‘The Interview’ Has Made Over $15 Million Online

December 29, 2014

A banner for “The Interview”is posted outside Arclight Cinemas, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014, in the Hollywood section of Los Angeles. A U.S. official says North Korea perpetrated the unprecedented act of cyberwarfare against Sony Pictures that exposed tens of thousands of sensitive documents and escalated to threats of terrorist attacks that ultimately drove the studio to cancel all release plans for the film at the heart of the attack, “The Interview.” (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

[Variety]

“The Interview” is shaping up to be a groundbreaking VOD success, earning $15 million online through Saturday.

The comedy, which has earned nearly $3 million in theaters, was rented or downloaded over 2 million times since hitting the Internet on Wednesday, Sony disclosed. It was never supposed to be this way.

The film about a hapless TV host tasked with assassinating Kim Jong-un was originally intended to be released on roughly 3,000 screens on Christmas Day. It was expected to generate $20 million during its opening.

However, the gory subject matter likely inspired a cyber-attack from North Korea that brought Sony to its knees. After hackers evoked 9/11 and threatened violence, a theatrical release was briefly scuttled before Sony backtracked and lined up 331 arthouse and independent theaters willing to show the film. Its decision to release the film simultaneously on-demand and theatrically infuriated major exhibitors who refused to show the picture on their screens.

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