Apple has turned down the chance to stream The Interview through iTunes, according to sources familiar with the matter. The Cupertino company reportedly received the offer from Sony Pictures following its decision to release the controversial movie through select channels after all.
It’s unclear whether another service will be offered the chance to stream the film, which looked like it may never see the light of day after Sony decided to pull it from theaters earlier this month.
The company’s decision came after hackers breached its internal systems and stole more than 11 terabytes of sensitive data, including DVD-quality copies of upcoming movies. The attackers, which called themselves the “Guardians of Peace,” then threatened theaters with terrorist attacks if they showed the film.
Many, including President Barack Obama, criticized Sony’s decision to pull the film — but earlier this week the company decided to reverse that action. The Interview will now be shown in a small number of theaters across the U.S. on Christmas Day.
Whether or not you will be able to stream it to your home remains unclear at this point, but it certainly seems as though Sony is looking for a partner that could make that a possibility. Rumors had claimed the movie may be available through Sony’s own Crackle streaming service, but the company quickly denied those claims.
Sony reportedly spent around $44 million on making The Interview, which stars Seth Rogen and James Franco, and hoped to make around $200 million back. It will surely be looking for others ways to sell the film in the future, then, so don’t worry if you don’t get a chance to see it tomorrow; you should get another opportunity soon.
