NEW YORK (AP) - Amid mounting pressure and criticism from President Barack Obama, Sony Pictures Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton has defended the company's shelving of "The Interview."
In an interview Friday with CNN, Lynton insists that "we have not given in and we have not backed down." The studio pulled "The Interview" from theaters Wednesday after hackers officially linked to North Korea made terrorist threats against theaters showing the comedy.
Lynton said the President, the media and the public "are mistaken" about the situation, insisting that Sony can't determine what movie theaters play on their screens. After Wednesday's threats, Sony told theaters they could drop the film if they chose to, and all major chains did. Sony then canceled the release altogether. Lynton says Sony doesn't have the interface to release it online itself.
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