DISH Network to make 'The Interview' available on January 2

[January 02, 2015]  NEW YORK (Reuters) - DISH Networks Inc said on Thursday it would make "The Interview," the controversial Sony Pictures Entertainment film about the fictitious assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un, available as a pay-per-view option starting on Jan 2.

DISH said "The Interview" would be available to rent in both high definition and standard definition.

The film has been blamed for triggering a massive cyberattack on Sony's movie studio. On Dec. 17, Sony canceled the Christmas Day release of the movie after hackers threatened violence against movie theaters and some theater chains refused to show it.

Sony is trying to recoup the $44 million production budget plus an estimated $30 million to $40 million in marketing costs for "The Interview."

On Wednesday, Sony Pictures Entertainment made the film available through U.S. pay television operators and sold it through Wal-Mart Stores Inc's digital on-demand service, Vudu, and on Sony's PlayStation Network. The film is also available through Apple Inc iTunes store, where it was the top-selling movie on Wednesday.

(Reporting by Ryan Vlastelica)

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