Katie Marsal
Though Sony apparently held talks with Apple about debuting the film "The Interview" on iTunes, the movie is instead now available for rent on YouTube, Google Play, Xbox Live and Sony's own Crackle service for $5.99, while viewers can purchase the movie for $14.99.
Citing unnamed sources, Re/code first reported on Wednesday that "The Interview" will be available to rent on Christmas Day on YouTube, Google Play and Sony's website. Later in the day, Sony confirmed that it will be available on Crackle and Xbox Live as well.
Renting the film cosst $5.99, while it's available for purchase for $14.99. It became available earlier than expected, starting today at 1 p.m. Eastern, 10 a.m. Pacific.
A select number of theaters will also be showing the film on its originally scheduled premiere date, after Sony relented to pressure to release the film. Sony Pictures Entertainment had originally canceled the release after major theater chains refused to show the film because of vague terrorist threats from hackers.
Sony reportedly tried to work out an exclusive deal with Apple to release the film on iTunes — Â talks that were also said to involve the White House. But Apple reportedly felt the timetable for a Christmas Day release was too soon, and declined to make the film available.
The film has been the source of a great deal of attention after hackers, said by the FBI to be from North Korea, attacked Sony Pictures Entertainment and released private emails, documents and even films on the Internet. The hackers also made questionable threats of terrorism directed at theaters showing the film in the U.S., but counterterrorism officials have dismissed them as not credible.
The North Korean government is offended by the premise of the film, which sees actors James Franco and Seth Rogen playing journalists who are instructed to assassinate the country's leader, Kim Jong-Un.
Despite all of the controversy, filmgoers will still be able to see "The Interview" in theaters on Christmas Day, thanks in large part to the group Art House Convergence, which will screen it at 250 small theaters across America.
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280 Comments
Apple p?ssied out..
It would be good if all films were released online at the same time as theatres.
[quote name="Wurm5150" url="/t/184040/sony-will-offer-the-interview-on-youtube-google-play-and-its-own-site-but-not-itunes#post_2654761"]Apple p?ssied out..[/quote] True, but it's an understandable business decision on their part.
Now will all the people who in the previous article called Sony out and cowards and talked about bandwidth issues now retract, ignore, or somehow justify and excuse Apple for not taking part? ...
[quote name="Wurm5150" url="/t/184040/sony-will-offer-the-interview-on-youtube-google-play-and-its-own-site-but-not-itunes#post_2654761"]Apple p?ssied out..[/quote] [quote name="DroidFTW" url="/t/184040/sony-will-offer-the-interview-on-youtube-google-play-and-its-own-site-but-not-itunes#post_2654767"]True...[/quote] How do you reach that conclusion on the available information? If Apple is unable to ink a deal with a vendor does that always mean Apple [I]pussied out[/I], or just in this case because you assume they were scared, as opposed to Sony wanting too much money from Apple for exclusivity, Sony not allowing iTS to be the exclusive vendor, Apple not having the bandwidth for [S]Christmas[/S] Holiday* Day, or something else entirely. Why, of all the possibilities, have you two decided that hacking Apple was the primary reason? Do you think that NK (or others) have ignored Apple up to this point because they don't know they are there or because you think they are honourable hackers? * Just for [@]Benjamin Frost[/@]. :D