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The Interview, Seth Rogen's Kim Jong-un assassination comedy that may be at the center of the devastating Sony Pictures hack, is scheduled to hit theaters on Christmas Day, but at this point Sony may rather wish it not come out at all. Following another leak which contained terror threats against prospective viewers, studio executives are now telling theaters that they "wouldn't object" to any decision not to show the movie, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Carmike Cinemas is first to bail
The New York Times, meanwhile, reports that Sony Pictures has "decided to all but invite theater owners to force cancellation or further postponement of The Interview," with one theater chain owner calling the 9/11-invoking terror threads a "game-changer." Following these reports, Variety said that Carmike Cinemas, a chain with 2,632 screens nationwide, became the first chain to take Sony up on that offer. It was followed by Landmark Theatres, who Deadline says made the decision to cancel the movie's New York premiere, previously scheduled for Thursday night. The Interview's LA premiere took place last week. Earlier today Rogen and co-star James Franco reportedly withdrew from all press appearances for The Interview through the end of the week.
Update December 16th, 11PM ET: Added news of Carmike Cinemas' decision to pull the movie, and the cancelation of the New York premiere.
