Major U.S theater chains reject to screen Newmarket's controversial feature "Death of a President."
- Oct 7, 2006
AceShowbiz - Boldly presenting a depiction of a fictional assassination to President George W. Bush, Newmarket's "Death of a President" is now encountering a really big problem concerning its theatrical release. Some of the country's biggest theater chains reportedly refuse to screen the picture due to its incendiary subject matter.
Regal Entertainment Group, which currently ranks the largest theater chain in the States, has given indication that it will not show "President" despite Newmarket's plan to unspool the movie on October 27.
"We would not be inclined to program this film," so said Regal's CEO Mike Campbell as quoted by The Hollywood Reporter. "We feel it is inappropriate to portray the future assassination of a sitting President, regardless of political affiliation."
Following Regal's decision, one of its chief rivals Texas-based Cinemark USA also has opted not to screen the feature and extends the band to Century Theaters, its newly-acquired subsidiary chain in northern California.
"We're not playing it on any of our screens," spokesman Terrell Falk remarked. "It's a subject matter we don't wish to play. We decided to pass on the film."
Regardless of this rejection, Newmarket apparently still holds optimistic view on the film's possibility to come up to the surface as the studio has successfully booked several hundred screens in smaller chains, including in Landmark Theaters which it noted as being particularly receptive to "President."
"We're getting a good reception in a lot of places," so said Newmarket'a distribution consultant Richard Abramowitz. No matter how the tight the screens are, once a film has success, it's always easier to get more screens."
