'The Interview' coming to San Diego

Controversial film will play at Digital Gym Cinema in North Park

By Jay Posner5:15 p.m.Dec. 23, 2014

This image released by Columbia Pictures - Sony shows James Franco, left, and Seth Rogen in a scene from the "The Interview." (AP Photo/Columbia Pictures, Sony, Ed Araquel) *The Associated Press*

"The Interview" is coming to San Diego.

Several hours after Sony Pictures Entertainment said the controversial film would have a limited Christmas Day release, Digital Gym Cinema in North Park announced it would screen the film, which was pulled from release a week ago after sparking an international incident with North Korea,

The film is set to open in more than 200 theaters Thursday, the day it was originally set for wide release. Digital Gym Cinema, part of the Media Arts Center San Diego at 2921 El Cajon Blvd., is the only San Diego theater known to be showing the film. It will screen "The Interview" five times on Christmas Day, at noon, 2:30 p.m., 5 p.m., 7:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.

In a statement released Tuesday evening, Ethan van Thillo, founder and executive director of Media Arts Center San Diego, said, "Although this film may not be typical of the films we generally screen, we made a decision to do so from a philosophical standpoint – that of artistic freedom, creative license and defense against censorship."

Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton said Tuesday that Seth Rogen’s North Korea farce “will be in a number of theaters” beginning Thursday. He said Sony also is continuing its efforts to release the film on more platforms and in more theaters.

“We have never given up on releasing ‘The Interview,’” Lynton said in a statement. “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.”