24 Dec – Less than a week after Sony Pictures announced that "The Interview" will no longer be screened in the cinemas, the studio does a 180 and surprises fans with the news that the movie will now be released on Christmas Day as originally planned. The movie's release on 25 December was almost axed following a threat from GOP (Guardians of Peace), the hackers that have been terrorizing the studio and its employees since 24 November, demanding Sony to erase the existence of "The Interview" or risk another 9/11. However, Variety now reports that the movie about two Americans tasked to interview, and assassinate, North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, is set to open in 200 independent cinemas in the U.S. come Christmas Day.
It is a considerable downsize from the planned 3,000 locations, which would have included major cinema chains, but this is still seen as a triumphant victory especially by those who were disappointed Sony was going to bow down to the words of the hackers. Sony's earlier plan to cancel the movie's release has sparked discussions of freedom of expression, with President Obama himself regarding the move as 'a mistake'. Now that Sony has corrected its mistake – and the White House even issued a statement in support of it – cinema chains that have booked the movie are bulking up on their security, still very much aware of the threat looming over its release.