It's now less than 100 days to the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, although exactly how much time fans in the UAE have to wait to watch the film is up for debate.
The local distributor, Italia Film Middle East, yesterday said that the movie would first screen in the UAE on Thursday, December 17 – a day earlier than previously announced. UAE fans may be in for an even bigger treat, however, if the usually reliable movie industry site IMDB is to be believed. That site is reporting that the UAE will feast its eyes on the film on December 15 – the world’s earliest release date.
IMDB also says that Bahrain, Italy, France and Denmark are all set to have a December 16 release.
When contacted yesterday, Italia Film insisted the movie would release here on December 17, alongside much of Europe. The US release date remains set for December 18.
As we've learnt over the past 18 months or so following the Star Wars saga, including breaking the first pictures of the set when the notion of the movie shooting in Abu Dhabi was little more than an optimistic rumour, there's often no smoke without fire when it comes to the much-loved franchise's relationship with Abu Dhabi.
We’ve already heard from sources within the Abu Dhabi industry, who were closely connected to the shoot, that “big things” are planned in the capital for the movie’s release. A global first public screening, a full three days before the official release date, would seem to fit neatly into that category.
Whenever the first screening may be, there's no denying that the Star Wars hype machine is moving up a gear right now. Last week's #ForceFriday saw the first batch of toys and models from the new movie attract queues around the world and sell out in predictably swift fashion with items such as the new BB-8 droid already changing hands online at vastly inflated prices.
Meanwhile, a new poster from the renowned artist Drew Struzan featuring new characters Finn (John Boyega), Rey (Daisy Ridley) and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) has attracted attention as Boyega’s character, reportedly a renegade storm trooper, is wielding a light saber. Is he a Jedi?
Official Halloween costumes released in time for next month, meanwhile, have some intriguing descriptions – not least that Driver’s Knights of Ren are driven by “the ultimate goal: to take over the entire galaxy, using the same power of The Force once used by the Galactic Empire”.
If it’s all getting a bit much to handle, take solace. Whichever of the new release dates turns out to be correct, it’s not long now before fans can witness what promises to be the cinematic event of the year.
cnewbould@thenational.ae
