Twofour54 has moved to swiftly dispel rumours that the sets from Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens are still standing somewhere in the Abu Dhabi desert.
A recent report on the The Huffington Post mistakenly said that the sets used during filming last year were still in place, and could be used for future films in the series or as a tourist attraction.
Twofour54 yesterday said that the HuffPost report was incorrect, and that it would be seeking a correction.
A spokesman added: “The last thing we want is hordes of tourists driving around getting lost in the desert.”
This all ran contrary to the reports from cast, crew and eyewitnesses who visited the locations after last May's shoot, and our own report that the sets had been dismantled and placed in storage.
"We are storing them until we curate them with the support of our friends in the Cultural District," twofour54 chief executive Noura Al Kaabi told The National last June. "We haven't finalised the location but it is likely to be Saadiyat."
Just in case anyone thinks they are just trying to dissuade fans from looking, The National knows exactly where the sets were located and we can confirm that they are no longer there.
One piece of information the HuffPost – hopefully – got right is Ms Al Kaabi's comment that Abu Dhabi is aiming to launch its own Comic Con to complement the popular Dubai event.
Dubai’s Middle East Film and Comic Convention is already a highlight of genre fans’ calendar, although its organisers say that they have not been approached regarding any event in the capital.
cnewbould@thenational.ae
