After hackers threatened to carry out a 9/11-style attack on any theater showing The Interview, more theatres have followed suit after the film’s New York City premiere was canceled.
A Sony source told Deadline that “We’re leaving [the decision to pull the movie] up to the discretion of the theater owners and chains and we will support their decision,” and it appears many have taken this as an invitation not to show the movie. Here are the chains that have decided against screening the controversial film:
- Carmike Cinemas (278 theaters and 2917 screens in 41 states)
- Bow Tie Cinemas (59 theaters in Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia)
- Rumored: ArcLight Cinemas (Five theaters in Southern California, including their flagship location on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood)
UPDATE: And now, two more huge theater circuits have reportedly decided to pull the plug, according to The Hollywood Reporter:
- Regal Entertainment (588 theaters and 7,334 screens in 44 states)
- AMC Theatres (344 theaters and 4,988 screens, mostly in North America)
UPDATE 2: And now Sony has flat-out canceled the theatrical release of The Interview altogether. The studio explained the decision in a statement:
In light of the decision by the majority of our exhibitors not to show the film The Interview, we have decided not to move forward with the planned December 25 theatrical release. We respect and understand our partners’ decision and, of course, completely share their paramount interest in the safety of employees and theater-goers.
Sony Pictures has been the victim of an unprecedented criminal assault against our employees, our customers, and our business. Those who attacked us stole our intellectual property, private emails, and sensitive and proprietary material, and sought to destroy our spirit and our morale – all apparently to thwart the release of a movie they did not like. We are deeply saddened at this brazen effort to suppress the distribution of a movie, and in the process do damage to our company, our employees, and the American public. We stand by our filmmakers and their right to free expression and are extremely disappointed by this outcome.
This still leaves the chance for the movie to be released on VOD or on a later date, but it's amazing to see how much damage these hacks and threats have done.
UPDATE 3: Sony says it has no plans for releasing The Interview, according to Deadline.
The studio has no plans for any sort of future theatrical, on demand or home video release of the film, with a Sony spokesperson telling Deadline that "Sony pictures has no further release plans for the film."
[via Deadline]
