“The Interview” Opens at 300 Theaters in U.S.

Sony Pictures Entertainment announced on Dec. 17 that it was pulling the film after the threats from the self-styled “Guardians of Peace.”

The group claimed responsibility for the Nov. 24 hack that crippled Sony’s computer system and led to the disclosure of thousands of internal e-mails as well as personal data about more than 3,000 SPE employees.

Though the Guardians did not mention the film at the time of the initial cyber-attack on SPE, they subsequently warned of 9/11-type terror strikes on theaters showing “The Interview.”

President Barack Obama was among many people who criticized SPE for canceling the film’s release.

On Tuesday, several independent theaters, including Atlanta’s Plaza Theater and the Alamo Drafthouse in Dallas, said Sony authorized them to show the film on Christmas.

Dozens more independent theaters followed suit, including The Bijou, owned by filmmaker Michael Moore.

“The Interview” was originally set to open in 3,000 theaters nationwide.

Sony on Wednesday made the film available via digital platforms such as Google Play and YouTube Movies and a dedicated Web site: www.seetheinterview.com.

The movie, starring Seth Rogen and James Franco, depicts a pair of journalists who obtain an interview with the North Korean leader and are persuaded to seize the opportunity to kill Kim.