# Theater chains cancelling "The Interview" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 17, 2014, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522 "2014-12-17T21:04:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2014, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/201 "2014-12-25T17:42:26Z")
Happy holidays, Dopers! We are trying to get this to work on our Samsung HD TV. I went through the agony of using our remote to key in the website address for Seetheinterview, then to get our CCard info input to pay. Kill me now. I got the emailed receipt (oh, had to key that in with the remote, too. Grr.) and have clicked on the Play button underneath the still photo of the Boys speaking into watch radios. Nothing else is happening - the Play button became a Pause button, but that’s it. Is the website swamped? Something else I should consider??? ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2014, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/202 "2014-12-25T18:34:10Z")
> [@WordMan](#): > > Happy holidays, Dopers! > > We are trying to get this to work on our Samsung HD TV. I went through the agony of using our remote to key in the website address for Seetheinterview, then to get our CCard info input to pay. Kill me now. > > I got the emailed receipt (oh, had to key that in with the remote, too. Grr.) and have clicked on the Play button underneath the still photo of the Boys speaking into watch radios. Nothing else is happening - the Play button became a Pause button, but that’s it. > > Is the website swamped? Something else I should consider??? WordMan, have you tried going directly to the website on the PC? Try the video there. I know you’d prefer seeing it on the tv. The PC is just a way to see if the movie will play. Did you get an email receipt after your payment? Any passwords or login info? ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2014, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/203 "2014-12-25T20:43:25Z")
Yeah, we watched it on YouTube. That was a delightfully stoopid Brom-Com…entirely worth $5.99 for the family… They Hate you because they ain’t you… ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [December 25, 2014, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/204 "2014-12-25T22:32:32Z")
I used YouTube, but my PC is connected to my living room HD TV. ---
**Author:** ![chinchalinchin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b9bd4f/32.png) [@chinchalinchin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chinchalinchin)\ **Post date:** [December 26, 2014, 3:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/205 "2014-12-26T03:40:25Z")
It was alright. Nothing special. I smiled a few times, but no gut-busting laughs or anything. Amusing, but immediately forgettable, if not for all the buzz. I’ll probably never watch it again. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2014, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/206 "2014-12-27T01:26:40Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Now, see, this is my point exactly. North Korea didn’t have anything to do with what happened. Sony canceled the conventional distribution, and then Sony started selling it online, and so now Sony is getting credit for standing up to the big evil censorship villain that was Sony itself. They did not take a bold patriotic stand. They took a marketing stand to make themselves money, and tried to disguise it as a bold patriotic stand. And I’m disgusted that it’s actually working. I certainly don’t think Sony has made any kind of patriotic stand. But the film itself has gained a notoriety and possibly even a popularity it could never even have dreamed of had North Korea just kept its yap shut. > [@chinchalinchin](#): > > It was alright. Nothing special. I smiled a few times, but no gut-busting laughs or anything. Amusing, but immediately forgettable, if not for all the buzz. I’ll probably never watch it again. See? Like that. Many people would have never bothered watching this film to begin with – and I dunno, maybe **chinchalinchin** would have anyway, but there are many who would not have. But now it’s going to be in everyone’s memory just because of the controversy. Again, smooth move, North Korea. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [December 27, 2014, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/207 "2014-12-27T02:10:56Z")
> [@chinchalinchin](#): > > It was alright. Nothing special. I smiled a few times, but no gut-busting laughs or anything. Amusing, but immediately forgettable, if not for all the buzz. I’ll probably never watch it again. Pretty much my reaction. It was no better or worse than I expected. It was worth the $5.99 in entertainment, but I doubt I’m going to rewatch it anytime soon. (I personally have my doubts North Korea had anything to do with the hacks, but we’ll see if anything more comes out regarding this story. No, I don’t think it was a Sony conspiracy or anything like that, but I’m not convinced that NK is behind it.) ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2014, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/208 "2014-12-28T11:10:20Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Now, see, this is my point exactly. North Korea didn’t have anything to do with what happened. Sony canceled the conventional distribution, and then Sony started selling it online, and so now Sony is getting credit for standing up to the big evil censorship villain that was Sony itself. They did not take a bold patriotic stand. They took a marketing stand to make themselves money, and tried to disguise it as a bold patriotic stand. And I’m disgusted that it’s actually working. People don’t think Sony is patriotic. They think it’s patriotic to go see the film. Because, as the FBI themselves authenticated, North Korea attacked Sony with threats about this specific movie. And they didn’t pull it to make more money. It was a financial decision to pull it, sure, but only on the idea that they couldn’t make money due to the big theaters not supporting it. Then they refused to put it back out there until they had a way of doing it that would make them more money. What you propose is as silly as the New Coke conspiracy. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [December 28, 2014, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/209 "2014-12-28T11:33:51Z")
> [@pulykamell](#): > > (I personally have my doubts North Korea had anything to do with the hacks, but we’ll see if anything more comes out regarding this story. No, I don’t think it was a Sony conspiracy or anything like that, but I’m not convinced that NK is behind it.) [Some experts agree with you.](http://edition.cnn.com/2014/12/27/tech/north-korea-expert-doubts-about-hack/index.html?hpt=hp_c2) ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2014, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/210 "2014-12-29T17:16:10Z")
The news stories today are saying that The Interview made $15 million over the holiday weekend. I’m assuming that the rate of rentals will drop quickly as all the “America, Fuck Yeah!” patriots and insatiable curiosity media whores have already seen it. In any event, this doesn’t look like any sort of money printing machine for those who believe that Sony ginned the whole thing up for publicity. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2014, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/211 "2014-12-29T17:52:29Z")
I read that the streaming release made 15 million, not counting iTunes, and the theater release made 2 million. Considering the film was originally predicted to make 20 million as a tradition release if it had a “normal” opening weekend, 17million isn’t bad at all. I still think (hope) it could be a game changer in regards to future releases in streaming format. Though I don’t know how the numbers work in regards to how much of what actually goes back to Sony. Such as, how much of the $12+ theater tickets does it make vs. how much of the $6 streaming price. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [December 29, 2014, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/212 "2014-12-29T18:01:49Z")
Someone upthread said that, before all the debacle and when it was still going to be in theaters, it was expected to do around $50mil the first two weeks. It obviously won’t do close to that via streaming. Edit: Box Office Mojo [predicted $90 mil](http://www.boxofficemojo.com/news/?id=3940) in November which sounds a bit flush to me but I think was expected to make well more than it will now. Supposedly (no cite, just message board chatter) Sony is getting 70% of the take from Google/YouTube/Xbox Live vs the ~50% from theater box office. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2015, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/213 "2015-01-25T17:21:28Z")
FYI: Netflix has _The Interview_ available for streaming. No extra cost for subscribers. ---
**Author:** ![JoseB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/joseb/32/1530_2.png) [@JoseB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoseB)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2015, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/214 "2015-01-25T17:33:28Z")
FWIW, “The Interview” is on the theaters in The Netherlands right now. So, at least here, it is getting a proper release. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2015, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522/215 "2015-01-25T17:50:47Z")
Now that it’s effectively released and everyone’s seen it, care to comment [here](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=747340)? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theater-chains-cancelling-the-interview/707522.md?page=10)