Sony to release The Interview on YouTube, Xbox Video, Play Store at 11:30PM tonight
After announcing last night that the satirical title The Interview will release in about 300 theaters in the US, Sony has announced today that it will be releasing the movie on YouTube, Microsoft’s Xbox Video, Google’s Play Store and several other streaming services. First reported by Deadline, the movie will be made available to rent through Google Play, YouTube Movies, Microsoft’s Xbox Video and a new dedicated website at a price of $5.99. The film can also be purchased in HD for $14.99. The movie will be available today at 11.30PM IST.
“It has always been Sony’s intention to have a national platform on which to release this film,” said Michael Lynton, Chairman and CEO of Sony Entertainment. “With that in mind, we reached out to Google, Microsoft and other partners last Wednesday, December 17th, when it became clear our initial release plans were not possible. We are pleased we can now join with our partners to offer the film nation-wide today.
It is the first time the company is releasing a movie simultaneously in both living rooms and theaters. According to an earlier report, Sony also had plans to release the movie on Apple’s iTunes, but the deal couldn’t close successfully.
“We never stopped pursuing as wide a release as possible for The Interview. It was essential for our studio to release this movie, especially given the assault upon our business and our employees by those who wanted to stop free speech. We chose the path of digital distribution first so as to reach as many people as possible on opening day, and we continue to seek other partners and platforms to further expand the release,” Lyton added.
The deal also marks the beginning of an era where there is no divide between physical and digital release. This has been tried before with several interviews and drama, but hasn’t really been a success from the revenue standpoint.
Sony’s move to release the controversial title The Interview was welcomed by President Obama, as well as the movie enthusiasts from across the globe. The threats, hacks, and leaks have made the movie even more popular. While it is yet to release, thousands of people have already given the movie 10/10 star on movie sites like IMDB.
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