In the first week of May, JJ Abrams new Star Trek movie is set to be the first truly global opening for a Trek film, and to push that point, the film is going to get a series of star-studded gala premieres across the globe, with the first on April 7th in Sydney Australia. Paramount has just released the first details on their plans, see below for more information.
Star Trek World Tour kicks off in Australia
Paramount Pictures Australia sent out a release on Thursday night (their Friday afternoon) announcing that Paramount will be holding the gala world premiere for Star Trek at the famous Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia on Tuesday April 7th. In attendance will be director JJ Abrams who will be joined by Chris Pine (Kirk) and Zachary Quinto (Spock) along with Australian Eric Bana (Nero) and New Zealander Karl Urban (McCoy).
According to the release, there will be 1,600 invited guests which will include "tastemakers in art, design, entertainment, fashion, media and politics." The April 7th premiere of Star Trek marks only the third occasion that a film has debuted at Sydney Opera House and the first time a film has premiered in the Concert Hall at the acclaimed venue.
In a statement, Mike Selwyn, Managing Director of Paramount Pictures Australia., said:
Not only are we honored to have J.J. Abrams and the cast here in Sydney for the World Premiere of the stunning new Star Trek, we are also very excited to present this event at one of Australia’s—and the world’s—most famous locations, Sydney Opera House.
Star Trek will open to the general public in Australia on Thursday May 7th.
Star Trek’s first stop – the Sydney Opera House
And Sydney is just the beginning of the world tour for Abrams and his new Star Trek. According to the release, there will be additional international gala premieres in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Japan, Korea, Netherlands, New Zealand, Russia, Spain and the UK. The mix of Star Trek stars for each event is likely to vary. Of course there will also be a big gala premiere in Los Angeles, but with this impressive schedule, it is clear that Paramount is determined to turn Star Trek into a much bigger global phenomenon. TrekMovie will report on additional details for the tour as they are made available. We will also do our best to bring reports from each location, starting with Australia.
A global Trek premiere
This Star Trek movie is the first of the franchise to get a global premiere, opening in dozens of countries the same week. The first public premieres begin on May 6th in the few countries that premiere films on Wednesdays (Belgium, France and parts of Switzerland). A number of other countries will open the film on Thursday the 7th, including Germany, Korea, Australia, Argentina and others. Most of the rest of the world (including the USA, Canada, and the UK) get the film on Friday the 8th, with a handful of countries getting openings later in May and June. A full list is available at the official site.
What about Vulcan Canada?
In case you missed our earlier update, the town of Vulcan (Alberta, Canada) has not been forgotten. Paramount has contacted TrekMovie to say that even though Vulcan is not going to get its wish to be the site of the gala world premiere, they are still trying to do something for the Vuclans. Paramount and city officials are working out logistics for the small town with the Trek name (and no actual movie theater). TrekMovie will provide an update soon.
“[T]astemakers in art, design, entertainment, fashion, media and politics.” So, no fans, then? Hopefully the UK one will let us in!
Vulcan has no movie theater?
LOL…
Hmmm. So how do American Trek fans feel about this film going to Australia before their local theater. All the little details will be known 4 weeks before American fans get to experience it.
So this film is not only “not for Trek fans” but also not really for Americans? Paramount wouldn’t do this unless they thought this strategy was the best way to bring home the dollars.
I think this is great! I wish Gene was still around to see this!
So is there any way for lowly fans to squeeze into one of these events??
@4 Totally agree.
Look at this amount of activity for Star Trek–and compare it to past movie releases. I haven’t seen Paramount put so much effort (and money) into Trek in a long time. Say what you like about this sea change in Star Trek direction, but you can’t argue with the fact that Paramount is serious about making this a success.
And that bodes very well for Star Trek’s future.
I’m a die-hard fan and I’m thrilled at what is going on!
Very, very cool. The studio is clearly doing everything they can to get this to work. Paramount hasn’t paid this much attention to a Trek theatrical release since TMP.
Two hours by train.
…
I’m getting into the screening. I don’t care if I have to do some MI3-style antics with a latex mask, I’m getting into this screening.
McCoy
you are seriously headed into troll territory. Stop trying to find new ways to attack and derail every thread.
As for the US, well the get the biggest bang for their buck by holding the gala as close to the date of the release as possible. As for global premieres and going first overseas, that is pretty much how it is done with big movies. same was done for Indy 4 last year and many others. This is just the first time that Trek is getting this treatment. In other words, Trek is finally getting treated like the big boys, to try and twist this as ‘anti-fan’ is absurd.
I am finding it hard to believe that Paramount is really really doing all this. If you told me in 2005 after ENT was cancelled that this kind of thing was going to happen in just four years (huge budget movie with the director and stars getting the corporate jet to do a world gala tour starting at the Opera House)….well I would have told you that you should lay off the weed. I hope this pays off. I can’t wait for it to come to my neck of the woods, but i am not expecting my small town to get a gala premiere, but maybe they can send Redshirt #5 or something.
oh and ‘McCoy’
you dont deserve that name…go crawl back under your bridge and stay there
HOLY CRAP,,,
The gala world premiere of ST : TFB is just a jump hop and a skip from little old NZ !!
Mr Nimoy please send me tickets,,and travel,,and somewhere to stay,,,and maybe a beer,,,and,,,and,,,and,,,
#3- It isn’t a public showing, so no we won’t know the little details other than what the people who attended reveal about the movie; and I am sure Anthony won’t let them go unreported anyway.
And why not in Australia? The world does not revolve around America, and the international audience has as much right to see it as you do. Besides, the US gets hundreds of conventions per year; most of the prize give-aways on this site are for Americans only, and the fact that most Star Trek episodes available to watch online are America-specific as well is another added bonus for you. So give Aus a chance eh?
Besides, having the Star Trek premiere at the Sydney Opera House is fantastic news! Such a high profile display of the confidence Paramount has in this new movie. Its gonna be great!
I hope they do something for Vulcan. I live close.
This is the best possible news. High marks for the marketing spend overseas.
And they’re making it fun.
Godspeed.
Aw man, I wish us folks down in South Africa would get a gala premiere :(
Star Trek is opening here on 8 May too
Honestly, I worry about the SPOILERS that will come from these events.
Starting in April, it may be time to take a break from entertainment news genre sites to avoid any spoilage of the new Star Trek film.
But I look forward to catching up after May 8th!
This is just down the road from me. And the chances of my being able to even be a screaming fan boy on the red carpet… Probably very good. Methinks a sick day may be in order ;)
regarding spoilers for this site, we will report them, but never on the front page. you can opt in our out. Now it may be hard to resist, but you will not be forced to read spoilers.
You think we’ll have a shakey bootlegg from the sydney show, lol.
i love how ireland is not even on the list of eu countries. lol
Oh wow :D that is pretty dang cool. Sydney Opera House?! awesome :) I really do like the treatment this movie is being given ;) It will be interesting to see how the world takes the whole new Star Trek thing.
April 7th?
Sydney Australia? that’s kinda Gala, not Premiering here 1st, but what ev’s.
Im STILL spoiler free,,, I really dont know much about ST:TFB ,,besides what Ive seen on the trailer.
:o)
AUSTRIA?!?!?! WHERE?! Oo
Sorry for the caps, but that is HIGHLY unusual for Hollywood to come to Austria.. oO
Anthony, if you have info on that I’d be grateful.. ;)
#3
Aaaah diddums, so Americans don’t het the premiere first, how will you cope?!! Get real, this is a global industry and Paramounts plans show just how seriouslt they are taking this movie.Trek is a GLOBAL phenomenon not just an American one so stop bitching and enjoy the movie when you see it!!
I think the Sydney Opera House is the most old-school TREK looking building on Earth!
Great choice!
Wish I could be down there for the show… alas I’ll be in line (standing in the rain I bet) here in Seattle…
I’ve been a devoted Star Trek fan my whole life and I also happen to be Australian. Maybe people should stop and think about the message that Star Trek represents – global unity etc.
I wonder if any of you actually realise how many “Hollywood” movies are actually made in Australia or even outside of the U.S.???
Anyway, I have a friend that works in marketing for Paramount Australia who has been promising me for ages that she can get me 2 tickets to the premiere. If there are any lovely ladies out there who would like to trek down-under and join me I’d be delighted to take you. :)
This is the first news that makes me feel that Paramount has genuinely high hopes for the film and a real confidence in it … Moving it to summer was hailed in the party line as some kind emblem of high-confidence, but I never swallowed that one (like many folks, I took it as a sign that the film is simply more “summer blockbuster” in style and substance). This, on the other hand … I can’t find a way to be cynical about Paramount’s motives. This really means Paramount likes it, and that’s cool.
Still doesn’t mean _I_ will like it … but I maintain hopes :)
Struth! The world premiere on our home turf… now that’s what I’m talking about. Fair dinkum, I’m as happy as a wombat in a paddock.
Perhaps we will start calling JJ the Wizard of Oz ;)
(ps for the uninitiated we Australians often refer to Australia as Oz)
Thanks for the update Anthony, its going to be hard to resist all the great spoilers here on the 7th. Hey I heard a rumor Bob Orci was going to have a screening at his place. I’ll bring the Romulan Ale and Klingon Blood Wine (kidding of course). I still do have a couple six packs left if your ever in Vegas.
OH MY GOD!
“I wonder if any of you actually realise how many “Hollywood” movies are actually made in Australia or even outside of the U.S.???”
Yeah, Australia really deserves it. I think even Abrams already produced in Australia.
And is there any better place than the Opera House to start with?
No American, no theatre in the whole world could compete with that building as a starting point!
And I don’t think there will be a huuge spoiler danger, since these premiers aren’t for the general audience, but probably for VIPs.
It’s very good to see that the old-school thinking “only the American box office counts” became outdated in times of globalization and huge budgets that only can be earned with a good global box office!!
The Opera House is a really beautiful place for the world premiere.
Cool, May 7th !!! No gala needed for Greece, here it just wouldn’t work. . . .
#28
I’m no lady but I’ll wear a wig.
FYI , I just contacted Universal Netherlands (distributor of Star Trek in the Netherlands) and they said there was no word yet wether the tour came to the Netherlands as well.
Wait… April 7th is right? Didn’t know that World Premieres are held so much earlier than the actuall release Oo
3
I think Paramount’s direction here is accurate. TREK films do not do well internationally. With a budget of 140 million or there about, this film must do well in that market or you can kiss the franchise goodbye right from the start.
#38
Usually that’s impossible, but Star Trek XI is ready since christmas, so they have the advantage that they can choose any date, because they already have a full film.
I just entered into a contest to win 2 tickets for the German premiere. That will supposedly be on April 19.
Actually, I wasn’t planning on watching the movie in German because I don’t like the dubbing (all movies are dubbed into German here). But it’s almost 3 weeks before the official start so if I win I may actually go :-)
“tastemakers in art, design, entertainment, fashion, media and politics.”
No, thank you dearest Paramount Pictures Corp, div. Viacom Corp., ticker symbol (VIA etc),1515 Broadway, New York, NY, and purveyor of moral rot.
Excepting those poor souls that derive their (somewhat pathetic) identity from attempting to live the Star Trek business model as a form of religious devotion, John Q Public will be happy to judge this enterprise on its own merits.
As for those poor souls under the influence of Hollywood, Lord have mercy!
Sincerely,
C.S. Lewis
Anthony, any chance you’ll get an invite to Sydney? Or is it closed to the media?
Hopefully my press pass has enough oomph to get me into the UK one.
This all sounds great, but I wish they were doing more with the movie here. So we had a big trailer come out, woohoo. We had a Superbowl spot, woohoo. Since all of that and one tv commercial with Heroes, I haven’t seen a thing lately even hinting of a Star Trek movie. No commercials, no posters, no advertisements, NADDA!
You’d think they’d be marketing this thing pretty heavily if they want a good turnout here, and you’d think they’d be venturing into new areas more popular to youth like music videos and blogs. Nothing so far to date, though.
Does anyone know what the hell #42 is talking about?
Egads!! This film better be good!!
And why not have the premier here in Oz? After all, the Opera House does look like fifty percent of the alien foreheads from TNG.
WIth today’s technology, we will get a bootleg copy on April 9th! lol. Paramount is in some serious business of elevating Star Trek to become a “mainstream” franchise. Or better yet, they are gambling that this movie will be like ID4. May Star Trek break a billion at the worldwide box office! SO SAY WE ALL!!!
Alright, I’ve answered the poll, where do I go to get me Star Trek logo tattoo and free ticket to Sydney to see the premiere? I mean, as long as I can choose where to put the tattoo and how large it is — I’d just put it on a patch of skin 1″ square on my calf — that would be an awesome deal! I’d love to visit Sydney anyway, and I do so love that Opera house.