Google Steps Up, Will Stream 'The Interview' Via YouTube
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un and his regime may have attempted to censor the world from seeing "The Interview," a comedy in which the CIA hires a pair of ill-equipped TV personalities to assassinate the dictator, but as they say in the business, the show must go on. And it will -- following a knee-jerk reaction by cinemas and even Sony Pictures Entertainment to cancel the Christmas Day opening of "The Interview," around 300 independently-owned theaters have decided to show the flick, and so has Google, through its YouTube service.
According to a CNN Money report, Google and Sony have come to terms on a deal to distribute the flick on YouTube, though there's a chance it could fall apart since the paperwork isn't yet finished. Should they dot all the i's and cross the t's, "The Interview" would release to YouTube on the same day as theaters -- tomorrow, December 25th -- as a rental.
There could be other services offering the movie to rent, as it doesn't appear Google and Sony are embarking on an exclusive arrangement. However, talks to offer the film through Apple's iTunes store reportedly hit a brick wall, though there's a chance the two sides could still come to an agreement.
Hackers tried to strong-arm Sony and its partners into not showing "The Interview" but the attempt appears to be backfiring. As fan site Moviepilot points out, "limited supply is yielding substantial demand," which is something the hackers may have taken into account.
Online streaming fulfills that demand, and for YouTube, this would be the service's biggest release in the two years that it's been renting videos, most of which have been lesser known titles.
According to a CNN Money report, Google and Sony have come to terms on a deal to distribute the flick on YouTube, though there's a chance it could fall apart since the paperwork isn't yet finished. Should they dot all the i's and cross the t's, "The Interview" would release to YouTube on the same day as theaters -- tomorrow, December 25th -- as a rental.
There could be other services offering the movie to rent, as it doesn't appear Google and Sony are embarking on an exclusive arrangement. However, talks to offer the film through Apple's iTunes store reportedly hit a brick wall, though there's a chance the two sides could still come to an agreement.
Hackers tried to strong-arm Sony and its partners into not showing "The Interview" but the attempt appears to be backfiring. As fan site Moviepilot points out, "limited supply is yielding substantial demand," which is something the hackers may have taken into account.
Online streaming fulfills that demand, and for YouTube, this would be the service's biggest release in the two years that it's been renting videos, most of which have been lesser known titles.
