After taking a lot of criticism for its decision to pull the release of its controversial movie “The Interview,” Sony has now made what many are calling the right decision. The company has just announced that it will release this movie online starting today and tomorrow, the original release date for The Interview, many independent cinemas across the U.S. will also screen this movie.
Earlier today it was reported that Sony had approached Apple to release The Interview on iTunes but apparently the company declined because of the timeframe. YouTube was mentioned in another report and that has turned out to be true.
Sony has released the movie through multiple online channels thus enabling millions of people in the U.S. to watch it through desktops, mobile devices and even gaming consoles. It will be possible to rent and purchase The Interview in HD from Google Play, YouTube Movies, Xbox Video and a dedicated website www.seetheinterview.com for $5.99 and $14.99 respectively.
It is interesting to note that Sony has decided to offer The Interview on Microsoft’s Xbox Video. The official press release doesn’t say if and when the movie will be made available through the PlayStation Store for Sony’s own console.
Michael Lynton, Chairman and CEO of Sony Entertainment, said that it was important for the studio to release this movie “especially given the assault upon our business and employees by those who wanted to stop free speech.”
Sony chose digital distribution to reach “as many people as possible on opening day,” and it will continue to seek additional partners and platforms for The Interview.
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