Mega-Screen Sells Out For LOTRs Screening

Mega-Screen Sells Out For First Session Of The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King

The first screening of the third instalment in the Lord of the Rings trilogy – The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King - has already sold out at the country’s largest cinema screen, the Mega-Screen, at SKYCITY Metro, Queen Street.

Tickets went on sale for the most anticipated movie of the year at all Village SKYCITY Cinemas (including the Mega-Screen) last Thursday (20 November), featuring special 12:01am sessions to celebrate the launch of the movie on the morning of Thursday 18 December 2003.

According to Village SKYCITY Cinemas Chief Executive, Joe Moodabe, demand for the new movie has already exceeded expectations.

“All Village SKYCITY cinemas (throughout Auckland and in Hamilton) are selling well for the opening weekend. At Queen Street we’ve decided to open up more cinema screens for the opening midnight sessions to accommodate demand,” he says.

Advance public ticket sales are currently only available to Village SKYCITY’s Mega-Member database – a movie club which can be joined for free online at www.villageskycity.co.nz. Tickets to The Lord of the Rings:The Return of the King will be available to non Mega-Members from this Thursday, 27 November 2003.
Exclusive to Queen Street, in Auckland, there will be extended versions of the first two movies to build the excitement as the launch for the new movie draws near. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring – the extended version - will screen at the cinemas on Queen Street from 4 – 10 December and The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers will screen from 11 – 16 December. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King will screen 24 hours non-stop at the central city location from one minute past midnight 18 December through to 21 December 2003.

For diehard fans, there will also be special Lord of the Rings movie marathon on Wednesday 17th December featuring all three of the movies back to back in sequence at Village SKYCITY Cinemas Queen Street where movie goers will be able to sit through an unprecedented nine and a half hours of cinema (with breaks in between each movie). Fans will begin by watching The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring from 3:20pm followed by The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers from 7:40pm which will lead in to The Lord of the Rings:The Return of the King which will screen just after midnight on 18 December - to screen at the same time as other Village SKYCITY Cinemas’ public movie screenings.

Those wanting to secure a place at the very first public screening can also purchase tickets from today to a special Charity Screening (on Thursday 17 December) at Village SKYCITY Cinemas Broadway Newmarket with part proceeds to the Starship Foundation. Tickets to the charity premiere cost $100 each and will include being among the first in New Zealand to see the movie, pre-movie hors d’oeuvres and drinks and the chance to go into a draw to win a replica of Strider’s sword, featuring Peter Jackson’s engraved signature. Guests to the charity premiere are invited to arrive at 5.15pm and the movie will begin at 6.30pm. Tickets are available at www.starship.org.nz or 09 3074957.

As well as being first to purchase The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King tickets, Village SKYCITY Mega-Members receive a number of additional membership benefits including weekly entertainment news updates, exclusive screenings, special offers and giveaways.

For Village SKYCITY Cinemas movie information and ticket sales, phone your nearest cinema or 09 979 2400 (general info line).

Village SKYCITY Cinemas are located in Hamilton and Auckland at: Broadway Newmarket, Highland Park Pakuranga, Manukau, West City Henderson, Westgate, St Lukes and Queen Street – Auckland City.

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