CULVER CITY, Calif. — Sony Pictures Entertainment expanded its release of the Seth Rogen comedy “The Interview” to the largest pay-television services and to additional theaters after initial showings occurred without incident.
“The Interview” will be available starting Wednesday on pay-per-view from 10 companies including Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Verizon and Walmart’s video service. Prices start at $5.99, Sony Pictures said Wednesday in a statement.
The film, a farce about a plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, led to a cyberattack that the FBI has linked to that country. Hackers released thousands of pages of confidential studio information on the Internet. Sony Pictures, part of Tokyo-based Sony, sought alternative outlets after major theater chains balked at running the film following a threat of violence from the hackers.
Theatrical distribution expands to more than 580 on Jan. 2, said the Culver City-based studio. Sony Pictures last week released the picture in about 300 cinemas and online through Google Inc., Microsoft Corp., Apple’s iTunes platforms and a website the company created.
The picture, which cost an estimated $80 million to make and market, took in more than $15 million in online rentals and purchases in the four days after its Dec. 24 release, according to Sony. Rentrak Corp. reported theater ticket sales of $2.84 million through Dec. 28.
