Armed with blankets, laptops, books, doughnuts and visions of Middle Earth, 398 eager fans crammed into a Chicago theater Tuesday for a marathon showing of the “The Lord of the Rings” movie trilogy–and a chance to view the final installment a full two hours before everyone else.
Although the screening didn’t get under way until 1 p.m. and would run for more than 12 hours–the newest movie, “The Return of the King,” wouldn’t even start until 10–a crowd was gathered in the lobby by 9 a.m. to position themselves for the best seats.
Many took the day off from work, and a few diehards had camped out at AMC River East 21 overnight.
“Everyone’s passionate about something; we all look for magic in the world,” said network engineer Thomas Glen, 33, who started the waiting line at 10 p.m. Monday. “For some people, it’s sporting events. For others, it’s live music. This is mine.”
Separately, the theater also sold out 1,800 advance tickets for “The Return of the King,” which debuted for the general public at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday.
The trilogy, based on the books by J.R.R. Tolkien, has already achieved remarkable critical and popular success, with the first two films earning nearly $2 billion in combined worldwide revenues and Hollywood tastemakers predicting Oscar gold for director Peter Jackson.
Special screenings of all three films played in 126 theaters nationwide on “Trilogy Tuesday.” Though ticket sales were plagued with technical difficulties, the screenings sold out in a matter of minutes in some cities and a few hours in others.
At the Chicago theater, Glen and two others holding $30 tickets were the first to arrive, and spent the night in AMC’s lobby.
“Thank God they let us sleep on the box-office level,” Glen said. “For [‘Star Wars’] Episodes I and II, we were outside McClurg Court in tents, which was a lot colder and a lot wetter. So we’re grateful.”
By Tuesday morning, they were joined by more than 100 fans, many wearing “Rings” T-shirts beneath the plastic, laminated badges that allowed passage to Middle Earth for the day.
Fortified with popcorn and $1 hot dogs, fans passed the time before the show by reading the Tolkien novels and newspapers, chatting, and typing on laptops. Financial analyst Kim Antonelli, 34, filled out Christmas cards with friend Boyd Eager, 34.
Nationwide, “The Return of the King” opened in 3,703 theaters, besting the theater count of blockbusters “Spider-Man,” both “Harry Potter” movies and the two previous “Rings” films. Only “X-Men 2” had more theaters with 3,741, according to box-office tracking firm Exhibitor Relations.
“People might think we’re nutty, but what better opportunity to see this whole arc,” Mapes said. “It’s unique–we’re not here for the spectacle but also the emotional experience.”
“The films are about honor and loyalty and trust,” said Cynthia Kosowski, who saw the film with her brother, his friend and her fiance, Chris Borbas. “It’s just a lot of fun–it’s a whole bonding experience as well.”
