Atlanta and Texas theaters to premiere 'The Interview' on Christmas Day

By RYAN GORMAN

"The Interview" will indeed premiere on Christmas Day despite the hackers' best efforts.

Independent movie theaters in Atlanta and Texas have announced the film will show on their screens starting December 25. Theaters in Los Angeles and Phoenix later announced they will also have the movie.

The moves come only days after hints Sony was looking at a digital release for the movie.

Plaza Theatre, a 75-year-old art house cinema on the city's north side, will show the movie five times on Christmas and every day until at least January 1.

The theater confirmed the showtimes on Twitter and said the showing is fully authorized by Sony Pictures.

A late night deal hashed out via email led the studio to put the film "in the mail" today, the cinema told WSB.

The Texas DraftHouse Cinema chain also announced on Twitter that the film would hit its screens.

Showtimes have not yet been released, but a spokesperson confirmed to the Dallas Morning News that screens across the state will lit up with the movie.

The announcement comes only days after Sony Pictures CEO Michael Lynton told CNN the movie studio was looking for alternative ways to distribute the film in the aftermath of the nation's five largest movie theater chains backing out of showings.

"The Interview" stars Seth Rogen and James Franco as journalists traveling to North Korea to interview Kim Jong Un that are recruited by the American government to assassinate the dictator.

The Plaza Theatre also hinted that other cinemas will be showing the film and that Sony "will announce the list by days [sic] end" on December 24.

Sony originally pulled the film's release after terror threats that appeared to come from North Korean hackers were made against theaters showing the film.

The Morning News is also reporting that the movie will be available on video-on-demand "no later than Christmas."

It is not clear which side contacted the other first. Multiple AOL News attempts to reach the Plaza Theatre for further comment were unsuccessful –- the voicemail was full.

In a statement, Lynton said the movie studio "stood up to those attempted to suppress free speech.

"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."

Sony, hinting at a possible simultaneous online or video-on-demand release is alsop working "to secure more platforms and more theaters so that this movie reaches the largest possible audience."

Related links:
North Korea's Internet goes down in possible revenge for Sony hacking scandal
Obama on Sony: 'They made a mistake' canceling 'The Interview' showings
A 'deeply concerned' FBI blames North Korean government for Sony hacks over 'The Interview' movie