As 'Interview' takes streaming plunge, Hollywood tests waters

SUCCESSFUL EXPERIMENT: A woman looking at the Google Play purchase page for the Sony film "The Interview," in Washington, DC. The madcap comedy has become a litmus test of sorts for the viability of online streaming for films.

LOS ANGELES: Consumers paid US$15mil (RM52.47mil) in just four days to watch The Interview from the comfort of their couches, building expectations that other hot, new films might also make their debut online. But Hollywood is not quite ready to give that to viewers, experts say. 

Even so, Sony Pictures' initial success streaming its controversial comedy will add momentum to the industry's slow adoption of same-day theatre and video-on-demand (VOD) release.