The portly shadow of a gouty dictator darkened movie screens across the continent as theatre after theatre bowed to the despotic will of North Korea's delusional Dear Leader.

But no longer.

After limited screenings in the United States, Seth Rogan's crude comedy The Interview is coming to Ottawa -- thanks to the mettle of three filmhouses, including the Rainbow Cinemas. All will begin screening the flick on Friday.

"I was quite frankly surprised that the major distributors had passed on it," said Rainbow manager Rob Payne.

"So far as I know, we'll be the first theatre in Canada to play it."

The Interview casts two journalists as the unlikely assassins of bloated despot Kim Jong-un.

(As plots go, it may not be so far fetched -- the Soviet Union contemplated having notorious double agent Kim Philby take out fascist General Francisco Franco when Philby served as a newspaper correspondent during the Spanish Civil War.)

But on the heels of the embarrassing Sony hacking mystery and threats from anonymous groups pledging to target screenings of the film, Sony opted to shelve The Interview.

And while they ultimately relented, major distributors have mostly steered clear of the allegedly provocative film (an Associated Press reviewer said it is likely viewers will be surprised it has generated such controversy, writing "if anything, the film verges on making Kim too likeable.")

For his part, Payne has no intention of ordering snipers and metal detectors when The Interview opens at his theatre.

"In this part of the world, we believe in freedom of speech," he said.

"We're not going to be blackmailed. We're not going to be browbeaten. We're not going to be extorted."

Bums in seats may be the business's bottom line but he's happy to take up the gauntlet thrown by the Internet's most shrill killjoys.

"To me, it's like bullying," he said. "Personally speaking, I was disappointed with everybody's first response."

There is every sign the film can be both a blow for freedom of speech and a boon to the theatre's bank balance.

Payne poked at his computer to pull up stats from the film's U.S. release.

The Interview grossed $1.8 million in its first week, despite showing in just 331 theatres.

And Payne noted the average take per screen was a robust $5,400 -- which compares favourably to the performance of the latest film in the Night at the Museum franchise.

The Mayfair Theatre and Cinestarz Orleans will also show The Interview beginning Friday. Ottawa Valley moviegoers will be able to catch it at the Algonquin Theatre in Pembroke.

tony.spears@sunmedia.ca

Twitter: @ottawasuntonys