Dave Skylark (portrayed by James Franco) and Aaron Rapaport (portrayed by Seth Rogen) are best friends and work together on their celebrity tabloid show Skylark Tonight. Despite the show’s poor reputation, they are excited when they are offered an interview with Kim Jong-un (portrayed by Randall Park), the supreme leader of North Korea.
Unbeknownst to Dave and Aaron, the CIA is monitoring their every move and sees the interview as an opportunity to assassinate Kim Jong-un. Agent Lacey (portrayed by Lizzy Caplan) approaches the duo and enlists their help to carry out the mission.
After arriving in North Korea, Dave develops a strange bond with Kim Jong-un, getting drunk, singing Katy Perry’s "Firework" and bonding about their shared love of movies. However, the plan to assassinate the dictator takes a turn when Dave begins to question whether it’s the right thing to do.
Despite the CIA's orders to proceed, Dave and Aaron decide to warn Kim Jong-un about the assassination attempt, but are caught in the process. They are then subject to a series of outrageous and dangerous situations before eventually escaping from North Korea.
The film garnered controversy leading up to its release, with some accusing it of being disrespectful to North Korea and its leaders. It also reportedly prompted a cyber attack on Sony Pictures, the film’s distributor, by a group that claimed to be affiliated with North Korea. The Interview was eventually released via online streaming services after it was initially pulled from theaters.