By Jake Coyle, Film Writer
NEW YORK (AP) --Sony Pictures' "The Interview" has made more than $31 million from its online and on-demand release, according to the studio.
Sony announced digital figures Tuesday for the film spanning its first 11 days of release since debuting Dec. 24. Sony had previously said the film made $15 million in its first four days online, so demand for the Seth Rogen comedy has slightly declined as Sony has added more platforms.
While $31 million constitutes the most lucrative digital release for a Hollywood film, "The Interview" stood to make more in a wide theatrical release. It had originally been forecast to earn about $30 million in its opening weekend alone.
Still, the significant total represents a sizable recoup for Sony after the film appeared dead. After hackers the FBI have said are North Korean threatened violence in theaters showing the film, North America's top theater chains pulled out of showing "The Interview" and Sony canceled its release entirely.
But cobbled-together release in independent theaters and digital outlets has proven modestly successful. Playing in select theaters, "The Interview" has made about $5 million in two weeks. It's currently playing in 558 theaters, far less than the approximately 3,000 it originally planned to open in.
Sony has steadily increased digital operators in the last week, adding cable on-demand providers to a range of streaming options like YouTube and iTunes. The studio said the film has been rented, streamed or purchased 4.3 million times.
While the grosses will be divided with each distributor, Sony could potentially earn back the roughly $40 million production budget for the comedy.
SMPTE elects board officers, regional governors
SMPTE®,the home of media professionals, technologists, and engineers, has revealed the board officers and regional governors who will serve terms beginning in January 2025.
Three new officers--Richard Welsh as SMPTE president, Eric Gsell as SMPTE executive VP, and Polly Hickling as SMPTE Education VP--have been elected for a two-year term from Jan. 1, 2025, to Dec. 31, 2026. One SMPTE officer, Lisa Hobbs, will be continuing her service as SMPTE secretary and treasurer for another two-year term. Additionally, Raymond Yeung will be stepping into the role of standards VP on Jan. 1, 2025.
“SMPTE’s membership has spoken,” said SMPTE interim executive director Sally-Ann D’Amato. “These officers have been tasked with an important responsibility, one each of them is prepared to tackle head-on. These next two years are looking bright for SMPTE!”
In addition to the officers, 10 regional governors were elected by the Society to serve two-year 2025-2026 terms.
These include the following regional governors, re-elected to continue their service:
Asia-Pacific Region Governor
Tony Ngai, Society of Motion Imaging Ltd.
EMEA - Central & South America Region Governor
Fernando Bittencourt, FB Consultant
United Kingdom Region Governor
Chris Johns, Sky UK.
USA - Central Region Governor
William T. Hayes, Consultant
USA - Eastern Region Governor
Dover Jeanne Mundt, Riedel Communications
USA - Western Region Governor
Jeffrey F. Way, Open Drives
Also elected were four newcomers to the SMPTE Board:
Canada Region Governor
Jonathan Jobin, Grass Valley
USA - Hollywood Region Governor
Allan Schollnick, Voxx... Read More