Sony OKs Christmas Day screenings of ‘The Interview’

We have never given up on releasing ‘The Interview,’ and we’re excited our movie will be in a number of theaters on Christmas Day, Sony Entertainment Chairman and CEO Michael Lynton said in a statement. I want to thank our talent on ‘The Interview’ and our employees, who have worked tirelessly through the many challenges we have all faced over the last month. While we hope this is only the first step of the film’s release, we are proud to make it available to the public and to have stood up to those who attempted to suppress free speech.

Sony is telling theaters that it will also offer the movie simultaneously on VOD, a knowledgeable source tells The Hollywood Reporter. It is not clear what platform the studio will use to offer the movie as video on demand. That move is likely to further alienate the larger chains that insist that when movies are released theatrically there shouldn’t be simultaneous VOD releases.