Beyond press event at Cannes Lions event canceled

Out of respect for the terrible news of Anton Yelchin’s death this weekend, a major press stop in Europe has been canceled. Much of the cast was due to promote the film this Wednesday during the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in France.

Paramount has issued an official statement:

All of us are deeply saddened by the loss of our friend Anton Yelchin. Out of respect, we are withdrawing our participation in the previously announced Star Trek Beyond event at Cannes Lions this week.

 

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It’s hard to choose between pausing and working through the pain. My best to all.

Still terribly shocking and surreal. Having a hard enough time processing it as a fan. As coworkers – especially a cast and crew as tight as this one – I just can’t even begin to imagine.

It was a good decision on Paramount’s part, out of respect for Mr. Yelchin and his loved ones.

Hat Rick,

Difficult to access where this leaves Paramount’s BEYOND but I imagine Ledger’s death:

http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/hollywoodland/2008/01/the_dark_knight_without_heath_ledger.html

points to many of the same problems they’ll have to deal with?

Thanks for your reply.

Regardless of the effect on the picture, Paramount could not have proceeded with the press event, as it could have struck many as rather mercenary. I am not interested, personally, as to whether this harms the movie. The loss is simply far too profound and tragic.

May Mr. Yelchin rest in peace.

The Dark Knight made over 1 billion back then and without 3D and the more expensive tickets. It likely even benefited financially from Ledger’s death as cynical as that may sound, because the movie got so much publicity because of it.

There may be some parallels with Ledger’s death, but there are also some big differences. For example, the role of Chekov is much smaller. Ledger bascially was the movie’s star opposite Batman. Also, if I remember correctly, Ledger’s death was connected to him playing the role, i.e. that the role was at least partially responsible for his death. Anton’s death was an accident completely unrelated to the movie.
It’s entirely possible that Paramount will no longer use images of Chekov in the promo campaign for Beyond. However, they weren’t exactly selling a lot of Chekov merchandise before.
I have absolutely no idea how many of Anton’s fans may decide to check out Star Trek Beyond who would have skipped it otherwise. From what I’ve read, Anton has a few more unreleased movies/TV roles that he shot before his death.

Paramount made the right call here. There will be other opportunities to promote. The focus right now needs to be on healing.

I don’t agree at all. Paramount could have used this as an opportunity to honor Yelchin. Change the tone of it completely. Talk about working with him, and the role he played in the movies, and his unfinished career at large. Give Yelchin some international attention that his memory deserves.

I think they will take the time to do just that in the weeks ahead. It is far too fresh to expect the cast to really be in it to promote the movie. It should take a back seat for now for healing.

No. Then a lot of people would have seen it as their trying to capitalize off his death. They clearly made the right decision.

When they do go out to promote the movie, it is going to be a personal nightmare for the cast.
My heart goes out to each and every one of them.

It will be very hard for the cast to promote this picture in the weeks ahead. I hope the interviewers, at the various press junkets, are sensitive to this and act accordingly so actor’s dont have to deal with “..and how has Anton’s death affected you and how will it affect future films?” over and over and over in 15 minute bursts.

Maybe I’m being cynical here but I don’t expect celebrity journalists to be very sensitive towards the feelings of the people they are interviewing. However, there are always PR people from the studio at these kinds of events, and I expect them to brief interviewers about what (not) to talk about.

@jonboc,
One can hope everyone can just discuss the movie, and if the actors want to pay tribute to Yelchin, allow them to do so without those horrible, intrusive questions.

The gawking celebrity press — especially in the US — is not the most sensitive of animals.

Rest in peace, Anton…I’m glad they didn’t do the press event. I don’t know how the promotion of this film is going to play out in the next month, but I imagine it will be rife with sadness as everyone comes to terms with what’s happened. I can’t imagine a worse thing happening for this crew. It’s just unimaginable…

Not diggin’ that they are cancelling events. This life is for the living. Let’s celebrate our victories, and mourn our losses later. RIP Yelchin. If your feeling blue, check my link.

Anton’s death is just too close to the Cannes event for his co-stars to be able to be that upbeat or necessarily all that coherent. That is my guess anyway.

BTW, it was Zoe Saldana’s birthday on 19 June – not the kind of birthday message I would like to receive and John Cho had his on 16 June. Karl’s was on 7 June and Zachary’s on 2 June and JJ Abrams is on 27 June… just saying…:(

Yeah, let them mourn their friend.

Imagine those actors just getting geared up to do promotions all around the world and this happens. Heart breaking.