December 28, 2014 – Raunchy comedy The Interview took in US$1 million in its limited release opening day, Sony Studios said, after the film was turned away by major theatres.
“The limited release, in under 10 percent of the number of theatres originally planned, featured numerous sellouts and a first-day gross over US$1 million,” said Rory Bruer, global distribution president from Sony Pictures.
After initially planning to halt release of the film that sparked an international incident, The Interview opened in about 300 cinemas, mostly small independent theatres. The film was also released online for rental or purchase.
Major US theatre chains announced last week that they would not show the film after threats from hackers who claimed a cyber-attack of Sony Studios.
The comedy featuring Seth Rogen and James Franco revolves around the fictional assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un. It infuriated North Korea, who the US has blamed for the cyber-attack.
“Considering the incredibly challenging circumstances, 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,” Bruer said in a statement.
The film played to packed theatres across the US, with many viewers coming out to make a statement about free speech.
A file sharing website reported the film had been illegally downloaded over 750,000 times. Online views of the film had not yet been released.