ABU DHABI // Star Wars fans showed pride in their city when ticket sales for The Force Awakens premiere on December 17 blasted off.
Reel Cinemas, based in Dubai, began selling tickets for the film’s premiere on its website on Wednesday. They sold out one showing on the opening day within 24 hours.
For fans, confirming their seats meant anticipation turned into excitement or, at times, boastfulness.
“My initial response to finding out the Star Wars film will be premiered earlier in Dubai was mostly maniacal laughter and finger-pointing at everyone who has to wait a few extra hours to see the movie,” said Zeyad Nabulsi.
Mr Nabulsi, 29, who works at Game Evolution, said that the fact part of the filming was done in the UAE was another reason to be excited.
“That is even more amazing. See, you actually get to see the rolling dunes of Abu Dhabi,” he said.
The American-Jordanian was so primed to buy tickets that he may have been the first in the country to do so.
“As soon as the tickets were announced, I bought them within minutes, it was even to the point that when I looked online, the entire theatre was completely empty, so I got first pick,” he said.
Nadim Nehme, 36, was also among the first to buy tickets.
Mr Nehme is not only considering the movie and how many times he might watch it, he will also be deciding which Jedi he will portray in costume play.
“I’ve definitely got a few lightsabres at home and some paraphernalia that might come with me,” he said. “I’m really excited. It’s something we grew up with, and if you’re a geek with any sort of sci-fi backing you’ll want to be there.
“I’m really excited that we have Episode Seven showing so early here,” he said. “I’ve already purchased a pair of tickets for me and my wife.
“I will be watching the movie once on a 3D screen, to get the story, then I’ll watch it on Imax to get the details, then, if I’ve initiated my son into the fold, I’ll take him to watch it,” he said.
Mr Nabulsi recalled the original trilogy and said those scenes were shot in Morocco and Tunisia and that those sets were kept intact.
“Hopefully, there is something left in Abu Dhabi for people to see, two or three generations down the line,” he said.
Although he was not old enough to have seen to the original trilogy in theatres, he said that he remembered owning it on VHS, which he watched repeatedly.
“The original trilogy lead me to the video games, which introduced me into the expanded universe, which lead me to the books and the comics and back to the video games. For me, Star Wars is very much about the entire aspect of it,” he said.
Mr Nehme shared that sentiment.
“My love story for Star Wars started at seven or eight years old, on some bootleg tapes. I believe I still own the set on Betamax format.”
nalwasmi@thenational.ae
