The Interview takes €15m in online and theatre sales

Sony Pictures says that The Interview has earned more than $15m (€12.6m) in online sales and another $2.8m in theatres, an impressive return made possible by the publicity surrounding the cyberattack blamed on North Korea.

The comedy that depicts the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un made almost as much money through online distribution and in limited theatres in its opening weekend as it would have in a wide release that was shelved after threats from hackers.

The studio said the film had been purchased or rented online more than 2 million times on the four days to Saturday, making it Sony Pictures’ number one online movie ever.

“That is a huge number,” said Jeff Bock, a box office analyst at Exhibitor Relations.

The film that triggered the devastating cyberattack on the studio last month, which the US says was launched by North Korea, opened in 331 independent theatres with a $1m box office and $1.8m over the subsequent three days, according to Sony. Many filmgoers and theater owners said they supported the film in the name of free speech.

The $44m film starring Seth Rogen and James Franco had been expected to gross at least $20m in its opening holiday weekend if it had gone to wide release, according to Boxoffice.com.

After large movie theatre chains refused to screen the comedy following threats of violence from hackers who opposed the film, Sony stitched together a limited release in theatres and a $5.99 video-on-demand rental and $14.99 purchase option on YouTube Movies, Google Play, and Microsoft Xbox Video.