“The Interview,” Seth Rogan and James Franco’s comedy opus set in North Korea has been a lightning rod for controversy and now, it seems, illegal torrenting.

TorrentFreak reports that the Kim Jon-un satire surpassed 750,000 downloads within during its Christmas premiere, growing to a crescendo of 1.5 million by the second day. Providing some perspective, the site explains that the “numbers are comparable to that of popular blockbusters, but they’re certainly not exceptional.”

Despite a Video-on-Demand (VOD) presence on Xbox, Youtube, Google Play and seetheinterview.com, most large movie theater chains have refused to provide screenings. As a result, only 300 independent theaters headlined one of the biggest conversation starters this year.

So far, “The Interview” has pulled in over $1 million from theater-goers, a paltry amount in comparison to nationwide releases at cinemas such as AMC and Regal.

Sony faced harsh criticism from Hollywood creative and politicians alike after originally pulling the film from its Dec. 25 release date. Issues of self-censorship, free speech and “cyber-warfare” dominated social media and the public forum during the firestorm that film’s cancellation sparked.

Although the company ultimately fast tracked the film for a hasty VOD and limited theatrical release, Sony has been reeling from damaging hacks that released private emails, employee information and upcoming films to the public.

Sony Pictures president of distribution Rory Bruer notes, “Considering the incredibly challenging circumstances, we are extremely grateful to the people all over the country who came out to experience ‘The Interview on the first day of its unconventional release.”

While North Korea’s alleged attack on Sony Pictures may have a lasting impact on the industry, the film itself has received a lukewarm response from critics.

Rottentomatoes sums up the critical consensus as “Unfortunately overshadowed by controversy (and under-screened as a result), The Interview’s screenplay offers middling laughs bolstered by two likable leads.”

In the wake of Sony’s initial cancellation of the film’s release, the in-development Steve Carell vehicle “Pyongyang,” also set in North Korea, was canned. Screenings of “Team America: World Police,” which prominently featured former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il as a comical villain, were also banned by its production company.

Shortly after President Obama promised a “proportional response” to the North Korea’s hacking efforts, the isolated country’s internet experienced an outage. North Korea has held the United States responsible for a cyber-attack.