Cinemas in Cambridge, Somerville to show 'The Interview'

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (MyFoxBoston.com) --   In an about face for Sony, the movie The Interview is expected to open in more than 200 theaters nationwide on Christmas day.

Adam Pachter of Arlington has already bought his tickets at Apple Cinemas in Cambridge to see it.

The controversial Hollywood movie sparked an international incident of hacking and threats, which the FBI says came from North Korea. 

"I'm a screenwriter so this hits very close to home. I think to myself, 'What if this were my script? What if some foreign dictator is censoring what I want to show?" Pachter told FOX 25.

Indeed, moments after Sony decided to release the Seth Rogen comedy about North Korea, people were showing up to buy tickets at this independent theater.

"People are calling off the hook, they were like 'oh, you're getting The Interview?' and I was like 'Yup, we're going to have it on Christmas. These are the show times,'" Kiara Pierce, the manager at Apple Cinemas in Cambridge, told FOX 25.  

When asked if she expected to see big crowds, she responded, "Oh, God, yes. I'm expecting to see lines out the door for it."

It's not the only one.

The Somerville Theatre, in Somerville, is also planning to show the movie starting Jan. 2. 

"I think I would totally go see it. I was  a journalism major and I'm all about free speech and I would love to see that movie be played now," said Monica Ricci of Somerville. "Having some other government try and tell us what to do isn't cool at all."
   
This controversy all started when hackers leaked Sony executives' emails. They threatened terrorist attacks against theaters showing the film, and soon the nation's major chains dropped it.   
   
The FBI says North Korea was behind the hacking attacks.
 
The decision to cancel the release drew criticism from many fronts. President Obama even got involved ,saying Sony had made a mistake in canceling the movie.
 
"It's a little bit disappointing"  to watch "another country impose censorship on us," said Ryan Marceau of Arlington.

And Krishna Matturi of Belmont said, "It's a Hollywood movie. It's a parody movie. It doesn't have to be influenced by external forces, as simple as that." 

Tuesday night Seth Rogen tweeted that the people have spoken, freedom has prevailed, Sony didn't give up.

FOX 25 did put out a call to at least one of the major chains, AMC. They didn't' get back to us. It's possible this could be followed by a more widespread release in some of the major chains.

Cox Media Group