Following the extraordinary circumstances and ludicrous hijinks of it all, moviegoers will be excited to learn that Sony Pictures will be releasing The Interview come Christmas day. Coming to select theaters, with plans for expansion in the near future, audiences will be able to find out first hand what the hubbub is all about. Learn more after the break.

Alamo Drafthouse’s founder, Tim League, broke the news today on Twitter about Sony’s intentions to release The Interview.

League also spoke to The Hollywood Reporter regarding the matter:

“At 10:45 AM Sony bookers approved screenings at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and other arthouse and independent theaters across the country. This is the best Christmas gift anyone could give us. We, both distributors and exhibitors, have collectively stood firm to our principles and for the right to freedom of expression. Two days til Christmas, and I am proud to be an American.”

It wasn’t long after this Tweet that Sony Pictures issued an official statement on the matter:

Sony Pictures Entertainment today announced that The Interview will have a limited theatrical release in the United States on Christmas Day.

“We have never given up on releasing The Interview and we’re excited our movie will be in a number of theaters on Christmas Day,” said Michael Lynton, Chairman and CEO of Sony Entertainment. “At the same time, we are continuing our efforts to secure more platforms and more theaters so that this movie reaches the largest possible audience.”

“I want to thank our talent on The Interview and our employees, who have worked tirelessly through the many challenges we have all faced over the last month. While we hope this is only the first step of the film’s release, we are proud to make it available to the public and to have stood up to those who attempted to suppress free speech.”

I’m interested to learn what other platforms Lynton means, which I could only assume means Video on Demand services. With how much this film has been swept up in a whirlwind of controversy, leagues of moviegoers will be lining up for the premiere of this film as fast as they can.

James Franco and Seth Rogen also rejoiced on Twitter to share their happiness:

Since many of the top chain movie theaters pulled the film from its release, there hasn’t been an official list of locations available that will be showing the The Interview. The Alamo Drafthouse in Dallas/Houston and The Plaza Theater in Atlanta are confirmed to show the film. THR believes that Landmark Theaters will be releasing the film as well.

[UPDATED WITH THEATER LIST via Deadline]

Academy Theater, Portland, OR

Alamo Drafthouse, Austin (4 locations), San Antonio (2 locations), Houston, Yonkers, NY, Kansas City, Littleton, CO, Ashburn, VA, Kalamazoo, MI, Richardson, TX, Katy, TX, Lubbock, TX, New Braunfels, TX

AppleCinemas, Cambridge, MA

Art Theater Co-Op, Champaign, IL

Belcourt Theatre, Nashville, TN

Cable Car Cinema, Providence, RI

Caribbean Cinemas, Puerto Rico

Chalmette Movies, Chalmette, LA

City Base Cinema, San Antonio, TX

Dipson Flix 10 Stadium, Lancaster, NY (Dec 26)

Dipson Lakewood Cinema 8, Lakewood, NY (Dec 26)

Eastpoint Movies 10, Baltimore, MD

Edge 12, Birmingham, AL

Fox Theatre, Dallas, OR

Franklin Theatre, Franklin, TN

Gateway Film Center, Columbus, OH

Groundview Theatre, Columbus, OH

Harkins Theatres, Phoenix

Harkins Valley Art, Tempe, AZ

Hollywood Blvd Cinema, Woodridge, IL

Jasper 8 Theatres, Jasper, IN

Jurupa 14 Cinemas, Riverside, CA

Laemmle Theatre, North Hollywood (Dec 31)

Look Cinemas, Dallas, TX

Loft Cinema, Tucson, AZ

Lyric Cinema Cafe, Fort Collins, CO

Merrill’s Roxy, Burlington, VT

State Theater, Ann Arbor, MI

MX Movies, St. Louis, MO

Nickelodeon Theatre, Columbia, SC

Penn Cinemas Riverfront, Wilmington, DE

Plaza Theatre, Atlanta, GA

Prime Cinema, Red Bluff, CA

Regency Theatres, Foothill Cinema Stadium 10 – Azusa, CA; Santa Paula 7 – Santa Paula; Agoura Hills Stadium 8, Agoura Hills CA; Sterling 6 – San Bernardino, CA; Granada Hills 9, Granada Hills, CA; East Hills Mall, Bakersfield, CA; Commerce 14, City of Commerce, CA; Van Nuys Plant 16, Van Nuys, CA; Fontana 8, Fontana, CA; Janss Marketplace 9, Thousand Oaks, CA; University Village 10, Riverside, CA; Westminster 10, Westminster, CA

Rialto Cinemas, Berkeley, CA

Riverdale 10, Little Rock, AR

Robinson Film Center, Shreveport, LA

Southside Works Cinema, Pittsburgh

Sun-Ray Cinema, Jacksonville, FL

Terrace Theater, Charleston, SC

Tower City Cinemas, Cleveland, OH

Tygart Valley Cinemas, Fairmont, WV

Co-directed by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, The Interview stars James Franco, Seth Rogen, Lizzy Caplan, Randall Park, Diana Bang, Timothy Simons, and Reese Alexander.

Expect more release dates and theater announcements soon.

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Source: The Hollywood Reporter