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“The Interview” Now Ranks as Sony Pictures’ Top Online Film

Online sales and rentals bring in $31 million.

by Dawn Chmielewski
Sony Pictures

Sony Pictures Entertainment said online sales and rentals of “The Interview” have brought in $31 million since Christmas Day, making the raunchy R-rated comedy at the heart of a crippling cyber attack the studio’s most successful online film.

The studio sought alternative means of distribution after threats of violence caused major theater chains to refuse to screen the film. The movie has been rented or purchased more than 4.3 million times online as well as through cable, satellite and telecom providers. It also brought in $5 million through a limited theatrical release.

The debilitating hack brought heightened attention to the Seth Rogen/James Franco film, which centered on a fictional CIA-backed plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. However, Sony likely has yet to recover its original investment in “The Interview,” which cost an estimated $44 million to make — not including promotion.

This article originally appeared on Recode.net.

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