Sony hack: Pulling The Interview will see entertainment company 'lose $60 to $70 million'

The movie's Christmas day release was cancelled following a cyber-attack

A poster for ‘The Interview’ is destined for a bin after being pulled from a display at a Carmike Cinema in Atlanta, Georgia (AP)

Sony Pictures is set to lose millions of dollars over its decision to cancelled The Interview, following a cyber-attack believed to have been carried out by North Korea.

According to Deadline, the entertainment company will lose an estimated $60 to $70 million spent on production and marketing costs.

The publication noted that Sony would save money on the advertisements that it would have run in the days leading up to the film’s release – a seemingly meagre compensation in the circumstances.

According to Variety, the figure will actually be $75 million – incorporating $44 million spent on production costs and $30 million on promoting the film.

However, Deadline accused Variety of "stealing" their exclusive and maintained that its own figures were obtained from “impeccable sources”.

Although Sony has not yet made a final decision on the future of The Interview, it cancelled the Christmas Day release of the comedy, based around the assassination of dictator Kim Jong-Un, after major cinema chains refused to screen it.

On Tuesday hackers threated to launch a 9/11 style attack on movie theatres that showed the film, which stars Seth Rogen, James Franco and Lizzy Caplan.

Politicians, legal commentators and Hollywood have criticised Sony’s “collapse” in the face of a security threat from anonymous hackers, which US intelligence services have said may be linked to the Hermit Kingdom.

The hack also saw the leak of a number of embarrassing emails between Sony co-chairperson Amy Pascal and movie producer Scott Rudin.

ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.

In a statement Sony said: "We are deeply saddened at this brazen effort to suppress the distribution of a movie, and in the process do damage to our company, our employees, and the American public. We stand by our filmmakers and their right to free expression and are extremely disappointed by this outcome."