The comedy at the center of an international political drama began showing at movie theaters in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware Christmas Day.
Penn Cinema in Wilmington showed the Seth Rogan and James Franco comedy The Interview about the assignation of North Korea's communist leader on it's original release date of Christmas. All shows Christmas night were sold out as crowds bought tickets to see what the hoopla was all about.
The film's distributor, Sony Entertainment, earlier pulled the movie after a widespread computer hack carried out by North Korea saw the release of confidential information and emails. The hackers also threatened to dump more damaging data online if the film was played and threatened attacks on theaters that showed it.
The move grew ire from citizens and President Barack Obama and Sony changed its mind on Tuesday once again offering the film for release on Dec. 25.
"We had gotten tremendous feedback from our customers in our market that people really wanted to see it. They resented that they weren't going to be able to see this film," Penn Cinema Managing Partner Penn Ketchum said.
Some 300 theaters nationwide will show "The Interview" on Christmas, Sony said. Another 100 will carry the film after the new year.
The movie was also released at the following theaters in area states:
Local
Breaking news and the stories that matter to your neighborhood.
Delaware
- Middletown: Westown Movies
- Rehoboth Beach: Movies at Midway 14
New Jersey
- Clifton: Allwood Cinemas 6
- Jersey City: Hudson Cinema 7
- Newark: City Plex 12 Newark
- North Bergen: Columbia Park 12
- Ocean Township: Middlebrook Cinema 10
- Paterson: Fabian 8 Cinema
Pennsylvania
- Coraopolis: Dependable D/I (4)
- East Stroudsburg: Pocono Community Theater
- Elizabethtown: Movie Town Cinemas 8
- Johnstown: Richland Cinemas
- Lehighton: Mahoning Valley Cinemas 8
- Lewistown: Miller 6 Cinemas
- Marshalls Creek: Pocono Movieplex
- Matamoras: Majestic Cinemas 7
- Pittsburgh: Southside Works 10 Pittsburgh
