The News Minute | December 29, 2014 | 10:40 am ISTActor-director Seth Rogen's controversial comedy “The Interview” has started on a high note at the box office, despite the sea of trouble leading up to its release.After it collected more than $1 million on Christmas Day, the film is headed for $2.8 million this weekend, reports variety.com.However, the film has been left behind by “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies”, which is the clear winner for the second consecutive weekend, while “Into the Woods” and “Unbroken” are in a tight race for second and third places.The film, starring James Franco and Seth Rogen was screened at some 300 independent movie theatres around the US after Sony Pictures Entertainment had cancelled the Christmas release of the film, following a hacking attack.A hacking attack Nov 24 had led to the theft of extensive amount of Sony employee data, for which a group calling itself the "Guardians of Peace" had claimed responsibility.Though the group did not mention the film at the time of the initial cyber attack on Sony, they subsequently warned of 9/11-type terror strikes on theatres showing "The Interview."Sony had cancelled the release of the film Dec 17 after major US theatre chains said they would not screen the film.The US government had alleged that North Korea was behind the cyber attack.With inputs from IANSTweet