The Force is calling to moviegoers, and they are eager to let it in.
Star Wars mania reached a new high Monday as fans overwhelmed cinema websites selling advance tickets for the next instalment in the blockbuster intergalactic saga, and the new trailer for the film instantly went viral.
The huge demand from keen fans in the United States and Britain seeking to secure their seats for the first screenings of The Force Awakens — which hits US screens on December 18 — led to site crashes and loading issues.
“Certain cinemas are being overwhelmed with requests,” said Odeon, a leading cinema chain in Britain. “The website has taken a battering today.
“We’re trying to fix the problem as quickly as possible. Please bear with us as we summon the Force.”
US sites Fandango and MovieTickets.com also experienced problems as fans rushed to purchase tickets.
Vue Cinemas in Britain said Jedi fans snapped up 10,000 tickets in the first 90 minutes of tickets going on sale.
Star Wars: Episode VII — The Force Awakens is one of the most eagerly awaited films of the year, and the first in the series in a decade.
The trailer, which premièred during Monday Night Football on Disney-owned ESPN, quickly set Twitter — which even created special emojis for certain Star Wars hashtags — and other social media sites alight.
The preview — which runs about two and a half minutes — features black-clad villain Kylo Ren looking at a crushed mask of Darth Vader and vowing: “Nothing will stand in our way. I will finish what you started.”
A damaged Tie-Fighter spins through space. The Millennium Falcon and X-Wing Fighters zoom through the air. Epic battle scenes erupt on a desert planet and over snowy mountains.
The trailer ends with a female voice — possibly Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher), who appears for the first time in this preview — saying, “The Force — it’s calling to you. Just let it in.”
artslife@thenational.ae
