Sony Pictures Entertainment is still mulling how to release the film “The Interview” after theaters canceled screenings following threats of violence.
Sony Hasn’t Decided Where to Stream “The Interview” -- Meaning Not on Crackle (For Now)
The studio is still mulling options for distributing the film, and has not settled on Crackle.
Sony Pictures
The studio hasn’t decided where or how to release the Seth Rogen comedy, which was at the center of a devastating hack attack by North Korea that crippled the company. A New York Post report saying the film would be shown on Crackle, Sony’s own free video-streaming service, is wrong, according to Sony spokeswoman Lauren Condoluci of Rubenstein Communications.
“Sony is still exploring options for distribution,” she said, adding that the story by the Post isn’t accurate.
That doesn’t mean that “The Interview” couldn’t end up on Crackle, only that there has been no decision as yet.
Crackle is a free, ad-supported streaming service best known for Jerry Seinfeld’s “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,” a Web-only comedy series now in its fifth season. Crackle also offers several Sony-owned motion pictures and TV shows. Sony Pictures’ parent company also owns PlayStation, which streams movies as well.
The FBI determined North Korea was behind the attacks, which first came to light on Nov. 24. The comedy starring Rogen and James Franco depicts two American TV journalists enlisted by the CIA to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un after landing a rare interview. Kim is played by the actor Randall Park.
Sony Pictures CEO Michael Lynton has said in interviews aired on CNN and NPR that “there are a number of options” for distributing the film other than a theatrical release. While the studio has contacted various digital distributors, no one is willing to carry the film for fear it would also be attacked, Lynton said, without citing which companies he has approached.
“There have been a lot of conversations about the robustness of various systems to be able to make sure they’re not hacked, if and when we put the movie out digitally,” Lynton told NPR. PlayStation is one platform the studio is willing to consider, the CEO said.
“I think in general we need to bring together a coalition of platforms to make this operate properly,” he said.
Sony’s lawyer David Boies said Sunday that the studio intends to distribute the film.
A spokesperson for Sony had no comment.
This article originally appeared on Recode.net.
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