Batman vs. Superman Still - H 2016
Courtesy of Warner Bros. PicturesWarner Bros. is moving forward with its London premiere Tuesday of Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice but has canceled the red carpet in light of the Brussels terror attacks that killed dozens.
The studio said in a statement: “Our hearts go out to the victims of recent terrorist attacks, their families and the communities impacted around the world. Rather than yield to terror, we’ve decided to join the film’s fans and move forward with the London premiere of Batman v. Superman this evening.”
Despite the heightened alert in Europe following the twin bombings in Belgium at the Brussels airport and at a metro station, the crowds weren’t deterred from London’s cinema heartland at Leicester Square, which began to pack out early afternoon.
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One security guard on site, speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, said that the premiere would be “bigger than Star Wars,” a premiere he had also worked, a statement highlighted by the emptying of the central area of the Square to make way solely for ticketed guests. Another said that while there was a big security turnout, this was “always the case” for such events in London and had nothing to do with the terror attacks.
Batman v. Superman opens day-and-date around the globe this weekend, including China. It begins rolling out in some European markets on Wednesday, including France and Belgium. Many cinemas in Brussels closed Tuesday in light of the terrorist attacks; it’s unclear when they will reopen.
