August 2009 Archives

Parts of James Cameron's new movie AVATAR are to be screened at Cineworld Broad Street on Friday as part of a global attempt to raise awareness.

The man who gave us Terminator 2 is back with his first feature since Titanic smashed the global box office record in 1997 - a record it still holds today.

In addition on August 21, 20th Century Fox will take the wraps off its special "3-D"/lenticular one-sheet posters for the film, Ubisoft® will unveil the trailer for their videogame James Cameron's Avatar: The Game, and Mattel will reveal the action figures for the film's Avatar and alien Na'vi characters.

AVATAR will take us to a spectacular new world beyond our imagination, where a reluctant hero embarks on a journey of redemption and discovery as he leads an heroic battle to save a civilisation.

The film was first conceived by Cameron 14 years ago, when the means to realise his vision did not yet exist. Now, after four years of actual production work, AVATAR will deliver "a fully immersive cinematic experience of a new kind, where the revolutionary technology invented to make the film disappears into the emotion of the characters and the sweep of the story."

AVATAR doesn't open in UK cinemas until December 18, 2009.

But, in the unprecedented worldwide August 21 experience, canny Cameron will debut the film's teaser trailer everywhere, while select cinemas and IMAX® theaters will screen hand-picked scenes in 3-D that have been specially prepared by the pioneering filmmaker.

The worldwide teaser trailer launch will be presented in all formats, including IMAX® 3-D, IMAX® 2-D, digital 3-D, digital 2-D, and 35mm 2-D. It will also be available online.

The extended look at AVATAR will have just two showings only on the evening of August 21 across the UK.

Public tickets can be obtained by registering at www.seefilmfirst.com and entering the code 302001.

Screenings will be ticketed and allocated on a first come first served basis, from today.

Remember: it's fastest fingers first! Good luck.

WATCHMEN is to have an exclusive screening event at Birmingham's giant IMAX cinemas.

Staff were disappointed the film wasn't released there earlier this year.

Now it is to play there after all and will come with an introduction and Q&A with Watchmen artist Dave Gibbons.

He'll be at the IMAX, Millennium Point, for the screening on Friday, September 18 which is being supported by the British International Comic Show.

Tickets cost £18.50 per person and all visitors will receive a WATCHMEN goodie bag containing comics and WATCHMEN items.

PLUS there will be a prize draw to win limited edition WATCHMEN merchandise including books, figures and graphic novels.

Tickets on sale now - www.imax.ac or 0121 202 2222.

I'M back in town after a holiday to learn that a big screen adaptation of Ken Bruen's celebrated crime thriller "BLITZ" is filming on location in London. 

Jason Statham (The Bank Job / Transporter) heads the cast as the tough, uncompromising and un-PC detective Brant who is teamed with unlikely partner Sgt Porter Nash played by Burton's own Paddy Considine (The Bourne Ultimatum). 

Joining the cast are BAFTA and Tony Award-nominee Aidan Gillen (HBO's The Wire) and fellow BAFTA-nominee David Morrissey (Captain Corelli's Mandolin, State of Play, Nowhere Boy).   

Directed by Elliott Lester whose debut feature Love Is The Drug was selected for Slamdance 2006, Blitz has been adapted for the screen by Nathan Parker (Moon) and focuses on a cop-hating serial killer who targets the officers of a South East London police station. 

The strong supporting cast includes Tony Award winner Mark Rylance (Currently at the Royal Court in Jez Butterworth's Jerusalem), Zawe Ashton (St Trinian's II: The Legend of Fritton's Gold), Richard Riddell (The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus), Luke Evans (Clash of the Titans) and Nicky Henson (Vera Drake).

The film is Lionsgate's first British production following its commitment last year to expand into the UK production arena and it's set for release in 2010.