Technology

Sony, Google and Microsoft Will Stream “The Interview” Starting Today (Updated)

Last week this movie was gone. Now it’s back, in theaters and online.

Dec 24, 2014, 1:08 PM UTC

Reuters/Kevork Djansezian

Peter Kafka covered media and technology, and their intersection, at Vox. Many of his stories can be found in his Kafka on Media newsletter, and he also hosts the Recode Media podcast.

You can see “The Interview” without going to a theater tomorrow.

After a frantic couple of days of deal-making, Sony Pictures has hammered out an online distribution strategy for the controversial film: Sources say Sony plans on renting the movie via its own site, and that it also plans on renting it via Google’s YouTube and Google’s Google Play store.

I don’t know whether Sony is building a new site to rent “The Interview,” or whether it is adapting an existing site, like its Crackle streaming service. I’ve asked Sony and Google reps for comment.

CNN earlier reported that Sony had a tentative deal to stream the movie via YouTube. Sources said discussions were ongoing and that final plans could still change; other partners may also help Sony stream the movie.

The news comes a day after Sony said some independent theaters would show the “The Interview” on Christmas Day. Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton said his company was also looking to “secure more platforms” for the film.

Last week, when Lynton said Sony wasn’t going to show the movie in theaters, he said his company couldn’t distribute “The Interview” any other way without help from partners. Now that’s happening: Online payments company Stripe, for instance, will help Sony rent the film on its site.

Update: Sony confirmed it will rent the movie via its own site, www.seetheinterview.com, via Google’s YouTube, Google’s Google Play store and on Microsoft’s Xbox Video store.

It will cost $5.99 to rent and $14.99 to purchase in HD on Sony’s site.

“It has always been Sony’s intention to have a national platform on which to release this film,” Michael Lynton, CEO of Sony Entertainment, said in a statement, adding that Sony had reached out to potential partners last Wednesday.

Here’s the press release:

Sony Pictures To Distribute “The Interview” Online Beginning Christmas Eve Through Google Play, YouTube Movies, Microsoft’s Xbox Video and Dedicated Website

Film To Be Widely Available On Demand Throughout The United States

[Culver City, CA – December 24, 2014] Sony Pictures Entertainment announced that The Interview will be available online across the United States starting today, Christmas Eve.

As of 10:00 a.m. PST, the film will be available to rent in HD on Google Play, YouTube Movies, Microsoft’s Xbox Video and the dedicated website www.seetheinterview.com at a price of $5.99. The film can also be purchased in HD for $14.99.

“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.

“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.”

“I want to thank Google and Microsoft for helping make this a reality. This release represents our commitment to our filmmakers and free speech. While we couldn’t have predicted the road this movie traveled to get to this moment, I’m proud our fight was not for nothing and that cyber criminals were not able to silence us.

“No doubt the issues we have confronted these last few weeks will not end with this release, but we are gratified to have stood together and confident in our future. I want to thank everyone at Sony Pictures for their dedication and perseverance through what has been an extraordinary and difficult time.”

Fans can watch The Interview on several platforms including:

· Google Play: the movie is available to buy or rent at play.google.com, and can be watched in the Play Movies & TV app on Android and iOS phones or tablets, or streamed in the living room via Chromecast, Roku or the Nexus Player.
· YouTube: the movie is available at youtube.com/movies and can be watched on the web, in the YouTube app, or on select living room devices like Chromecast, Apple TV, PlayStation and Xbox.
· Microsoft’s Xbox Video: the movie is available to buy or rent on the Xbox Video app on Xbox One, Xbox 360, Windows 8, Windows Phone 8 and XboxVideo.com.
· SeetheInterview.com: In addition, The Interview is available at the dedicated website www.seetheinterview.com, which is sponsored by Sony Pictures and powered by Kernel and with payments through Stripe, a secure payment platform.

In addition to Google Play, YouTube, Microsoft and www.seetheinterview.com, The Interview is also being released in more than 300 United States theaters on December 25th.