Matrix Revolutions midnight showings?
 

I was wondering if they are doing this thing for Revolutions. Carmike is the chain that will be getting it in my area and they have yet to post whether or not a late Tuesday show will happen. Are these kind of showings at the discretion of the theaters or the studios? Just curious.

If the studio says it is alright to do midnight showings then it is up to the theatre chains do decide if they want to participate. That being said, I don't believe that there will be midnight showings for Revolutions. Not one of the theatre chains around me are doing any, even after they did midnight showings for Reloaded. I read somewhere that the earliest showing is going to be at like 6am in Washington DC, the reasoning being that they get college students before their classes. It doesn't make much sense to me, but I don't make the decisons.

No, there won't be any midnight showings (or 10:00 previews on tuesday night like for Reloaded). The reason for this is because the studio is doing a "zero hour global release" where it will start at the same moment everywhere in the world that is showing it. So the soonest it is suppose to be shown on the east coast of the U.S. is 9:00 am, 6:00 am on the west coast, 2 p.m. in London, 11 p.m. in Tokyo, that sort of thing. Here's part of the press release from The Matrix website:


WARNER BROS. PICTURES AND VILLAGE ROADSHOW PICTURES
TO MAKE CINEMA HISTORY
WITH GLOBAL UNVEILING OF THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS ON NOVEMBER 5,
MAKING THE FILM AVAILABLE TO FANS AROUND THE WORLD
AT THE SAME MOMENT IN TIME

Through IMAX Digital Re-Mastering Technology, Highly Anticipated Film Will Also
Debut in IMAX® Theatres in the U.S. on November 5, Marking the First Time a
Major Live Action Movie is Released Concurrently in 35MM and IMAX’s Format


Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures will unveil THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS, the final explosive chapter in the blockbuster MATRIX trilogy, at the exact same moment in time in every major city around the world on November 5. This unprecedented distribution scenario will make the highly anticipated film available to fans simultaneously at 6 a.m. in Los Angeles, 9 a.m. in New York, 2 p.m. in London, 5 p.m. in Moscow, 11 p.m. in Tokyo and at corresponding times in over 50 additional countries worldwide. The announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures, and Veronika Kwan-Rubinek, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

"Given the enormous popularity and success of the Matrix films throughout the international community, we’re thrilled that we can bring the final chapter of this amazing trilogy to fans simultaneously around the world," Kwan-Rubinek said. "We thank our exhibitors for their unqualified support in staging this extraordinary event."

"The zero hour simultaneous opening of REVOLUTIONS once again positions the Matrix films as the cutting edge experience in motion pictures," Fellman added. "Audiences came out to see THE MATRIX RELOADED in record numbers, and we appreciate the enthusiasm, collaboration and support of our exhibitors in helping us bring THE MATRIX REVOLUTIONS to audiences on November 5."

"We received such an overwhelming response to RELOADED from audiences around the globe that the Wachowski Brothers wanted to give our fans the chance to experience the final piece of the Matrix puzzle at the same time in every major city worldwide," said Joel Silver, producer of the phenomenal Matrix trilogy. "It's an incredibly complex and exciting venture that furthers the Wachowskis' vision and underscores the trilogy’s theme of integration."

To date, THE MATRIX RELOADED has earned over $734 million in worldwide box office, making it the highest-grossing film of 2003 and the highest-grossing R-rated film in history, both domestically and internationally. Additionally, RELOADED scored the record for the largest single week ever with $158.2 million and reached $150 million in a record-breaking six days domestically; internationally, it is the 10th highest grossing film of all-time, and is the first film in history to gross more than $100 million in a single weekend.

...and I don't think the theaters have to have an ok from studios to do a midnight showing. As long as its not shown before the actual release date, I think that the first showing is up to the theater (with Revolutions being an exception since it comes with a specific earliest start time from the studio).

Well that sucks. :(

well, the idea is cool but it sucks for us americans. most of the theatres around here showed it at 10:00 PM the tuesday before it was released. won't be able to go at 8:00 am

Warner had "sneak previews" of Reloaded the night before it was released starting at 10pm - 12am. In those two hours, the film made almost $10 million, in addition to the $40 million + the film made the next day. Hell, when I left the 10pm showing, people were already lining up (and it was a huge line) for the 1:30am show.

Warner tried it again for T3: Rise of the Machines starting at 8pm instead of 10pm, but it only made $4 million in 4 hours instead of Reloaded's near $10 million in 2 hours.

I think the "zero-hour" idea for Revolutions is a neat idea. Everybody gets it at the same time. So instead of the east coast getting it 3 hours ahead of the west coast, east coast and west coast get it at the same time (along with the rest of the world). All the theaters in Vegas playing Revolutions are starting right at 6:00am, but all the 6am - 11am showings are only for Wednesday (makes sense, since when Reloaded came out, most movie theaters were open 24 hours, but only for that first day). People who want to see Revolutions first, will see it no matter what time of the day it is. I'd go see it at 6am, but due my past few weeks of illness, I can't miss anymore school. :( So I'll be heading out to see it after 12pm. :)

9:00 AM here in Orlando, FL. I alrady have tickets!

<---- Not a morning person so a midnight show would have been cool.

I have the day it opens off, but I don't know if they're doing a 6:00 am showing (I'm in the eastern time zone) to participate in the "zero hour" deal in my town or not. I highly doubt it as it mostly has college kids to staff it and I doubt they will be able to get them out of bed that early. :(

My theater has those 8:00 shows... which will be murder...

However, we'll have a midnight show Tuesday night!

Non-employees need not come though... :D

(Hey, I NEVER get to gloat, let me have this...)

Since you're in the eastern time zone, it starts at 9am where you live. 6am is for the pacific time zone.

I've had my 6am ticket for Revolutions at the Chinese for over a week now :D

So why not start it at 12am on the east coast and go from there? Of course then it wouldn't start on Wednesday in every time zone, but the whole idea is stupid anyway. They're at the "cutting edge" with the way they release "The Matrix Revolutions", but maybe they should worry more about being at the "cutting edge" with the quality of the movie.

I think the Zero Hour approach is kind of cool. I know I'd be in the line for the first showing regardless of if it's at 6am or midnight. Having said that it appears that Famous Players (the major chain) in Vancouver have decided not to screen the movie untill 10am. The one location that will be getting an IMAX print is showing that one at 9am.

According to a friend of mine, a local independant theater will show it at 6am but I refuse to support them due to them treating me poorly when I was an employee.

That said. I'm very priviledged to be able to attend a media screening at an hour I've deemed " - 44 Hours". That's right. Monday at 10am.

Also be on the look out for radio promo screenings on Monday November 3rd. Usually studios do these things a couple days to a week early. There wasn't any for Reloaded but there will be for Revolutions. Infact I might go Monday night as well :)

Man, I love my job. Don't get paid much but the free passes and invites are very nice.

I work wednesday morning :(

I guess it is either a night show or thursday which I happen to have off.

I will be seeing it on Midnight but thats only because I am an employee, the public has to wait until 8 am on Wednesday

Damn! Need a date? ;)

I'll be going to an afternoon showing right after I get out of work on wednesday. Of course, I HAVE to be working the day it's released. A midnight showing would be been nice....:mad:

Did anyone happen to catch Ebert & Roeper's early review of this? If so, how many thumbs up/down?

2 thumbs up...thats all I caught

yep 2 thumbs up, they did show a few scenes i haven't seen in the trailers yet. both said they where glad that it was over and that Revolutions was their least favorite of the series. said that none of the action was as good as the freeway chase.........guess we'll see

They did WAAAAY more then just a few scenes. mofo's were all over the place with spoilers.

i like to be modest

Early reviews have been pretty negative of this movie. "Even more disappointing than Revolutions," and the principles are "guests stars in their own movie," meaning it's all VFX. Variety's review was pretty scathing. I read a couple spoiler filled reviews as well, and while I'll reserve my judgement until I see the finished product, I think it's safe to say my expectations of this film have gone down considerably. What is guaranteed is some mind-blowing war scenes, but a disappointing resolution and mediocre dialogue and character scenes. Good enough for me! :)

I hate to thread-crap, but has anyone else's desires to see this film dwindle after RELOADED?

Is anyone else thinking: "Well, if I never see this film ever in my life, then I can still live."