ATLANTA—Sony’s “The Interview” has been a hacking target, a punchline, and a political lightning rod. Now, with its release online at the same time it debuts in theaters, it has a new role: a test for a new kind of movie release.
“The Interview” stars Seth Rogen and James Franco as journalists tasked by the CIA with killing North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Its Christmas Day release was canceled by Sony after threats of violence by hackers linked to North Korea. But after an outcry, the release was reinstated in some independent theaters and now, through a few online video services.
Although the circumstances surrounding “The Interview” are unprecedented, experts said the release will be closely watched to see how moviegoers and theater chains react to a simultaneous debut. It’s a challenge to the long-standing practice of “windowing”—opening a movie first in theaters to maximize box-office revenue before making the movie available in other stages of home video, streaming, and television.
