After a small-scale rollout on Christmas, “The Interview” grossed just over $1 million on its first day in theaters, studio officials said Friday. The film is playing in 331 independent theaters across the country — less than 10 percent of the movie houses that originally planned to show the controversial satire.
“We are extremely grateful to the people all over the country who came out to experience ‘The Interview’ on the first day of its unconventional release,” said Rory Bruer, Sony Pictures Entertainment's president of distribution.
The Seth Rogan and James Franco comedy depicts the fictional assassination of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. Sony Pictures initially canceled the movie’s Christmas Day release after many national theater chains said they were pulling the film because of threats from hackers. Those same hackers also released sensitive online documents stolen from Sony Pictures. After pressure from the White House and Hollywood celebrities, the company reversed course earlier this week and decided to allow theaters to screen the movie and make it available for online streaming.
IN-DEPTH
- Screening Surprise: 'The Interview' Star Seth Rogen Thanks Moviegoers
- Sony Is Streaming 'The Interview' Online
- 'The People Have Spoken!' Celebs Praise Sony Move to Release 'Interview'