From Deseret News archives:
Local theaters gear up for 'Twilight'
And Meyer may be rivaling Rowling on the big screen soon, as well. Theater owners around the country are expecting similarly huge things for "Twilight," the new film that's based on the first of her vampire romance novels. (Early projections for its opening weekend range from $60 million to $70 million, which may be too conservative.)
In fact, the local Megaplex Theatres chain has booked screenings at midnight tonight on 69 of its 70 screens between Thanksgiving Point and Ogden and is nearing sellouts for all of those.
"It's going to be super crazy," said Julie Withers, manager of Megaplex's Gateway Center location. Her theater has already sold more than 3,500 reserved seatings tickets for its 12 midnight shows.
In fact, Withers estimates that The Gateway has sold nearly 5,000 for regular showings Friday and nearly 3,000 on Saturday.
"There are still tickets available, but I've never seen so many presales before not even for 'Star Wars' and 'Lord of the Rings,'" she said, adding that, in terms of presold tickets, "'Twilight' has already beaten ("Quantum of Solace," the new James Bond movie) and it hasn't even started yet!"
Demand for tickets is so huge that the Red Carpet Cinemas chain has scheduled "All Night Twilight" screenings round the clock at its three Utah locations: The Gateway 8 in Bountiful, the Spanish 8 in Spanish Fork and the 5-Star in Magna.
Officials at the SCERA in Orem say tickets are still available for the theater's midnight screening and for opening-day shows. Of course, the SCERA has more than 700 seats, and spokeswoman April Berlin noted the theater is prepared for "Twilight" mania.
"I think we'll be fine. We always have lots of extra staff when we have sold-out shows," she said.
Like the Red Carpet Cinemas, the Megaplex Theatres are planning VIP events for the "Twilight" release. That includes premovie entertainment and contests at its five locations, as well as conducting blood and food drives at the Jordan Commons location in Sandy.
In addition to the Megaplexes and Red Carpet locations, in Salt Lake City the film is booked at both the Carmike 12 and Ritz 15 Cinemas, both Century 16 locations (Sandy and South Salt Lake), the Cinemark 24 at Jordan Landing and the Westates Holladay Center.
Information on show times and locations for "Twilight" is available at various chain theater sites, as well as movie ticket sales sites like www.fandango.com.
E-mail: jeff@desnews.com
Recent comments
Isn't it absolutely amazing and wonderful that we live in a place...
Isn't it Great? | Nov. 20, 2008 at 9:11 a.m.
Say what you will.
She's now RICHER than any of us.
Anonymous | Nov. 19, 2008 at 11:53 p.m.
I had to chuckle when I read that the cinemas and theatres are...
on the funny side | Nov. 19, 2008 at 10:31 p.m.
- Tuesday on TV 12:13 a.m.
- 'Dancing' will fill out finale 12:13 a.m.
- I'll take doc's advice on mammogram 12:12 a.m.
- Editorial: Winning fans' hearts 12:11 a.m.
- Afterthoughts 12:11 a.m.
- Letters: Barzee case like Jeffs' 12:11 a.m.
- Letters: Trump card for believers 12:11 a.m.
- Letters: Can't erase genetics 12:11 a.m.
- Letters: Rushing to judge Palin 12:11 a.m.
- Letters: MLS not BCS 12:11 a.m.
- Real Champions
- Bronco, Kyle rubber match
- Protests against Phoenix LDS temple
- BYU's Lamb, Jorgensen reprimanded
- Plenty on line for rivalry game
- Time for big matchups in WAC, MWC
- RSL wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks
- BCS at-large bids up for grabs
- Hall, Johnson matchup key
- Fans greet returning Real Salt Lake
- Glenn Beck to enter politics?
213 - RSL wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks
196 - Palin plans tour stop in Utah
178 - Palin's book shows she's unqualified
133 - BYU records with win
132 - Bronco, Kyle rubber match
131 - Protests against Phoenix LDS temple
110 - Officer cleared in Cardall Taser case
103 - BYU cuts Women's Research Inst.
103 - Jazz finally win in San Antonio
99
Associated Press Personal Finance Writer Candice Choi offers gift-giving...
Fesenko returning to the bench? Yeah, probably. But I sure hope that he'll...
Real did it. They shocked the world. Just like the Utes last year in the...
I lived in Phx area for years, served on a City board for 7 years. My board...
Joseph Smith charged money for his money-digging ventures, and he took a...
Jared Quayle is a stud. He plays like a beast every time he touches the...
No Phx is not a majority LDS city Mesa is. As far as Tom's comment about...
Lest my Utah friends think I was just going to bang on my own, I think UteFan...
You can read the official declaration online via a photo of the original....
"McFeatters states that what Palin is doing, and doing brilliantly, is being...
don't mean to pick on you but fans from both sides make it easy to despise...


