The film earned nearly $3 million through theater screenings and $15 million from online sales. The comedy that was originally pulled from theaters was rented or bought more than 2 million times.
The software used in the Sony data breach is available on the underground market. This makes it easier for criminals to execute an attack but harder to identify the perpetrators.
Nearly 300 independent theaters are showing the comedy, which Sony Pictures had originally pulled following threats. The studio is also showing the movie on streaming services.
The studio said the comedy will also be available to rent on Google Play, Microsoft's Xbox Video and a dedicated website at a price of $5.99. It's also being shown in more than 200 theaters.
In what scenario does a $44 million slapstick comedy become a good fit for independent theaters? Only one involving geopolitical intrigue, a humiliating hack and terror threats from North Korea.
Sony had pulled the controversial comedy that centers on a plot to assassinate North Korean leader Kim Jong Un after ominous threats were made, allegedly by a group that hacked the studio's emails.
Sony Pictures is still reeling from the damage caused by the cyberattack. The company's reputation and Americans' free speech were put on the line. But experts dispute how to measure the damage.
It comes days after President Obama pledged a "proportional response" to the communist country's alleged hacking of Sony Pictures. It's unclear what caused the outage.