Updated with a comment from Sony.
Sony Pictures revealed its plans to distribute the film that caused an international incident, but it isn’t including Sony Computer Entertainment in the deal.
The Interview, the new comedy from Evan Goldberg and Seth Rogen about assassinating North Korean leader Kim Jung Un, will hit theaters tomorrow and online film services today. Sony Pictures announced that you can rent the film right now for $6 through Google Play, YouTube Movies, Xbox Video, and SeeTheInterview.com. The inclusion of Xbox Video on that list is notable because of the absence of Sony Computer Entertainment’s own PlayStation Network and Sony Entertainment Network service. But the company is saying that the movie is coming to PSN at some point in the future.
This does not mean Xbox One will have The Interview and PlayStation 4 will not. You can watch it on Sony’s console using the YouTube app.
Sony has now provided a statement regarding the movie’s absence from PSN, and you can expect to find it on the PS4’s store in the future.
“The Interview will be available on PSN for customers in the U.S. at a date to be determined shortly,” a spokesperson for Sony Computer Entertainment told GamesBeat. “It is our mission to provide the best entertainment experience to more and more PS4 users worldwide. Given the last minute release of the title, we will focus on launching our current lineup and providing consumers with all the titles and entertainment they expect over the holiday. SPE has arranged for a dedicated website for premium viewing of the film, so anyone who wishes to watch the movie via that channel will be able to do so.”
Sony has not said why The Interview isn’t available through PlayStation Network. It’s possible that it was easier to work out deals with partners if PSN wasn’t included, but it’s also possible that Sony is worried about further hacks against its servers if it releases the film on its gaming platform.
The Interview was originally intended to debut in theaters tomorrow, but Sony cancelled the release after a hacking group, allegedly out of North Korea, cracked Sony Pictures servers, stole data, and then later threatened to physically attack movie theaters that showed the film. Sony has since backpedaled and agreed to release The Interview at any theater willing to show it.