First Theater Pulls ‘The Interview’

Carmike Cinemas, one of the largest theater operators in the country, will not be showing Sony’s The Interview following Tuesday’s threat of 9/11-like attacks from the hackers known as the Guardians of Peace. The Georgia-based Carmike, which operates 278 theaters and 2,917 screens in 41 states, is the first chain to pull the controversial comedy. The announcement comes after Sony said it plans to move forward with the Dec. 25 release of The Interview, but the studio supports theater owners who choose not to screen the movie. The Daily Beast recently unearthed emails that indicate people at the State Department reviewed and approved the film's controversial ending involving Kim Jong-Un. Earlier Tuesday, the Guardians of Peace also released a cache of data files, including around 8,000 emails belonging to Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton.