SKYFALL LEADS THE WAY IN THE 18th JAMESON EMPIRE AWARDS NOMINATIONS

Sam Mendes’ Skyfall, recently crowned the biggest-ever UK box-office hit, leads the pack with six nominations for the Jameson Empire Awards 2013, it is announced today.

Joss Whedon’s Avengers Assemble and Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey follow closely behind with five nominations apiece, while British indie hit Sightseers keeps pace with Hollywood with four nominations.

Now in its 18th year, the Jameson Empire Awards has come of age and is firmly established in the ‘Awards Season’ calendar as an antidote to more formal, industry-voted awards. The Jameson Empire Awards are voted for entirely by the cinemagoing public, who have been voting in their thousands for their favourite films and performances of the past year. The public can now vote on the final shortlisted nominees and acknowledge films that may have missed out at other awards ceremonies. Film fans across the globe can vote at: www.empireonline.com/awards2013

Skyfall tops off its huge box-office success, in James Bond’s 50th anniversary year, with nominations across six categories: Best Thriller, Best British Film, Best Director, Jameson Best Actor (Daniel Craig), Best Actress presented by Citroën (Dame Judi Dench), and Best Film presented by Sky Movies.

Avengers Assemble and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey go head-to-head in five categories: Best Science-Fiction/Fantasy (with strong competition from Looper, Prometheus and Dredd 3D), The Art Of 3D presented by RealD (up against Life Of Pi, Dredd 3D and Prometheus), Best Director and Best Film. Lead actors Robert Downey Jr. and Martin Freeman will fight it out in the Jameson Best Actor category against Daniel Craig, plus Oscar-winners Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln) and Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained).

Sightseers picks up four nominations: one each for lead actors and co-writers Steve Oram and Alice Lowe in the Best Male Newcomer presented by Entertainment Tonight and Best Female Newcomer categories, plus nods for Best British Film and Best Horror presented by Café de Paris. Also competing for Best Horror are Sinister, The Woman In Black, Dark Shadows and The Cabin In The Woods.

The Jameson Empire Awards also recognises emerging talent. Best Male Newcomer includes two nominations for Life Of Pi, with Suraj Sharma and Rafe Spall up against Domhnall Gleeson (Anna Karenina), Steve Oram (Sightseers) and Tom Holland (The Impossible). Best Female Newcomer has Sightseers’ Alice Lowe joined by Alicia Vikander (Anna Karenina), Samantha Barks (Les Misérables), Holliday Grainger (Great Expectations) and Quvenzhané Wallis, the youngest-ever Best Actress Oscar nominee, for Beasts Of The Southern Wild.

Best Actress presented by Citroën sees Anne Hathaway and Jennifer Lawrence nominated for performances in different films from those for which they won their Oscars: Hathaway for her role in The Dark Knight Rises and Lawrence for The Hunger Games. They will compete against Dame Judi Dench (Skyfall), Golden Globe-winner Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty) and Naomi Watts (The Impossible).

Best Thriller sees the might of Golden Globe, BAFTA and Oscar-winner Argo take on Skyfall and Zero Dark Thirty, plus popular foreign-language hits Jo Nesbo’s Headhunters and The Raid. Best Comedy presented by Magic 105.4 will be hard-fought, with the multi-award-winning Silver Linings Playbook competing with Ted, Moonrise Kingdom, 21 Jump Street and The Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists!.

The best of the UK’s film talent will vie for the coveted title of Best British Film, with Skyfall up against Les Misérables, Sightseers, Dredd 3D and The Woman In Black.

Five of the biggest directors in the world will compete for the prize of Best Director and Best Film presented by Sky Movies, with Sam Mendes (Skyfall) taking on Joss Whedon (Avengers Assemble), Peter Jackson (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey), Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight Rises) and Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained).

The Jameson Empire Awards 2013 Nominations

Best Male Newcomer presented by Entertainment Tonight

• Domhnall Gleeson (Anna Karenina)
• Rafe Spall (Life Of Pi)
• Steve Oram (Sightseers)
• Suraj Sharma (Life Of Pi)
• Tom Holland (The Impossible)

Best Female Newcomer

• Alice Lowe (Sightseers)
• Alicia Vikander (Anna Karenina)
• Holliday Grainger (Great Expectations)
• Quvenzhané Wallis (Beasts Of The Southern Wild)
• Samantha Barks (Les Misérables)

Best Comedy presented by Magic 105.4

• 21 Jump Street
• Moonrise Kingdom
• The Pirates! In An Adventure With Scientists!
• Silver Linings Playbook
• Ted

Best Science-Fiction/Fantasy

• Dredd 3D
• Looper
• Avengers Assemble
• Prometheus
• The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Best Thriller

• Argo
• Jo Nesbo’s Headhunters
• Skyfall
• The Raid
• Zero Dark Thirty

Best Horror presented by Café de Paris

• Dark Shadows
• Sightseers
• Sinister
• The Cabin In The Woods
• The Woman In Black

The Art Of 3D presented by RealD

• Dredd 3D
• Life Of Pi
• Avengers Assemble
• Prometheus
• The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Best British Film

• Dredd 3D
• Les Misérables
• Sightseers
• Skyfall
• The Woman In Black

Best Director

• Christopher Nolan (The Dark Knight Rises)
• Joss Whedon (Avengers Assemble)
• Peter Jackson (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey)
• Quentin Tarantino (Django Unchained)
• Sam Mendes (Skyfall)

Jameson Best Actor

• Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained)
• Daniel Craig (Skyfall)
• Daniel Day-Lewis (Lincoln)
• Martin Freeman (The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey)
• Robert Downey Jr. (Avengers Assemble)

Best Actress presented by Citroën

• Anne Hathaway (The Dark Knight Rises)
• Jennifer Lawrence (The Hunger Games)
• Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty)
• Dame Judi Dench (Skyfall)
• Naomi Watts (The Impossible)

Best Film presented by Sky Movies

• Django Unchained
• Avengers Assemble
• Skyfall
• The Dark Knight Rises
• The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey

Comedian Ed Byrne to host The Jameson Empire Awards 2013

Celebrating its 18th year, The Jameson Empire Awards will be hosted by popular Irish comedian Ed Byrne.

This will be Byrne’s debut presenting the Awards, which will be held in London on Sunday March 24 and attended by a multitude of star guests from the world of film, all eager to find out if the public have voted for them.

An internationally renowned observational stand-up who is widely known for his appearances on TV panel shows Mock The Week and Have I Got News For You, Byrne promises to inject his unique Irish wit and charm to the annual film awards event. A regular on the UK and Ireland comedy circuit, Byrne has also played at most major international comedy festivals. His next tour, Roaring Forties, kicks off with a full run at the Edinburgh festival (at the EICC) and he will then embark on a full national tour ending in Spring 2014. A regular filmgoer himself, Byrne deftly comments: “I can’t wait to host an awards show run by Empire - a magazine that I actually read, and sponsored by Jameson – a whiskey that I actually drink!”

Open voting is still open for The Jameson Empire Awards – the biggest film awards in the UK to be voted for entirely by the cinemagoing public, who can vote for any film they have seen and enjoyed in the year ending January 25, 2013. Film fans can vote for a variety of categories including: Best Male and Female Newcomer, Best Film (presented by Sky Movies), Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy, The Art Of 3D (presented by RealD), Best Comedy (presented by Magic 105.4), Best British Film, Best Actress (presented by Citroën) and the annual Jameson Best Actor award.

To see the full list of categories and to cast your vote, visit: www.empireonline.com/awards2013.

There are just three days left for the public to cast open votes across all categories before the deadline of Wednesday, February 27. The shortlisted nominees will then be announced on Friday, March 1, with all categories then open to a final round of public voting to determine the winners, who will be announced at the star-studded ceremony on Sunday March 24.

Empire’s Editor-In-Chief Mark Dinning comments: “We are over the moon that this year's Jameson Empire Awards will be hosted by the brilliant Ed Byrne. All of us at Empire are huge fans of Ed's, whether he's delivering super-smart stand-up, being a team captain on Mock The Week, surviving the madness of Graham Norton's sofa or just taking the mickey out of eternal miseryguts Alanis Morissette. More important than all of that, though, Ed is a massive film fan, who knows his Batmans and Robins from his Batman & Robin, and who will therefore be a perfect fit for an event that at least takes its subject, if not always itself, very seriously indeed.”

Jameson Empire Awards 2013 - Voting Opens

Film fans across the globe have the opportunity to make their voices heard as open voting commences for the Jameson Empire Awards 2013 on Thursday November 29. The awards ceremony takes place on Sunday March 24 in London and is expected to attract a host of star names from the film industry.

The Jameson Empire Awards are not voted for by the film industry or critics — they are one of the biggest awards ceremonies to offer film fans the opportunity to have their voices heard. Hot on the heels of the Oscars and BAFTAs, the Awards allow film fans and casual cinemagoers alike to vote for their favourite films and performances of the past year. Voters can choose from films released in the period January 27, 2012 – January 25, 2013 in a variety of categories including: Best Male and Female Newcomer, Best Sci-Fi/Fantasy, The Art Of 3D (presented by RealD), Best Comedy (presented by Magic 105.4), Best British Film, Best Actress and the Jameson Best Actor.

Empire is now the biggest movie brand in the world, with Empire magazine outselling all other movie magazines internationally by an average of 2 to 1. Coupled with its bespoke editions in the US, Australia, Russia, Portugal and Italy, as well as Empire Online’s global readership of 2.8 million, the brand’s reach extends to over 5 million movie fans across the planet, making Empire the go-to brand for film fans and filmmakers across the world.

Even with the nation's eyes turned to Her Majesty's diamond jubilee and the Olympics, 2012 set its own record breaking year at the UK box (with Bond's return in Skyfall alone making an unprecedented £100m, Avengers Assemble becoming the third biggest movie of all time and The Dark Knight Rises helping to drive over one billion people into the cinema), maintaining cinema-going as the nation's leading and most passionate pastime. Never has film had such an influence on people's hearts and minds, and Empire stands tall as the most influential movie brand both in the UK and around the world, launching in America, and breaking the world exclusives on each of these major movies, as well as becoming the global home of Hobbit coverage across the planet. Film is, simply, tearing up the rule book of entertainment dominating the zeitgeist more than ever in its entire history, and Empire is there every step of the way, in its own way thrilling readers with editorial innovation across all platforms: print, digital, events, and podcasts.

Each year, the Jameson Empire Awards attract some of the biggest names in Hollywood, with last year’s guests including: Gary Oldman, Danny DeVito, Bérénice Marlohe, James McAvoy, Tom Hiddleston and Michael Fassbender. Previous years’ guests have included: Tim Burton, Russell Crowe, Daniel Radcliffe, Keira Knightley, Christian Bale, Matt Damon, Sigourney Weaver, Emma Watson, Tony Curtis, Quentin Tarantino, Kate Winslet and Dustin Hoffman. Because the Awards are voted for by the public they honour an eclectic mix of films, from big-budget blockbusters to independent cinema. Previous winners have included: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows — Part 2, Thor, Kill List, The Inbetweeners Movie, Avatar, Inception, Four Lions and In The Loop.

To see the full list of categories and cast your vote, visit: www.empireonline.com/awards2013. Open voting continues throughout the ‘awards season’ until Wednesday February 27. The shortlist will be announced on Friday March 1, with the final nominees shortlist open to a second round of public voting.

Empire Presents BIG SCREEN – Bringing Hollywood to London - The Live Movie Event

Bauer Media and Clarion Events are delighted to confirm a stellar line-up as they unveil the full schedule for the most anticipated and exciting movie event of the year - Empire Presents BIG SCREEN.

The star studded movie extravaganza which runs this weekend from 12th-14th August at the 02 opened with the eagerly awaited UK premiere of Paramount Pictures’ Cowboys & Aliens with the cast of the film in attendance. The film, which is directed by Jon Favreau, (Iron Man, Iron Man 2) stars Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford and is tipped to be one of the hottest films of the year. As well as the star studded premiere there will be special screenings on Friday, Saturday and Sunday – UK audiences will truly be able to see it first and exclusively at BIG SCREEN.

Empire Presents BIG SCREEN is also delighted that the coveted spot of closing night film will be the UK premiere of DreamWorks Pictures’ Fright Night starring Colin Farrell. David Tennant, who co-stars in the movie, will be there in person to welcome fans.

With a choice of over 250 incredible things to do, including a chance to meet the stars, see live performances, a feast of premieres, exclusive screenings, worldwide debuts of new film footage, movie master classes, never before seen glimpses behind the world’s biggest films, Empire Presents BIG SCREEN truly promises something for movie fans of all ages. And with many attractions available without cost, there is something to suit everyone.

The weekend movie extravaganza is being backed by all the big studios including Paramount Pictures, The Walt Disney Company, Twentieth Century Fox, Sony Pictures, Marvel Studios, Warner Bros. Pictures, Universal Pictures, Optimum Releasing, Pixar Animation Studios, DreamWorks Pictures, Momentum Pictures, Lionsgate UK, eOne and Icon Film Distribution - and promises never before seen access to the inner workings of Hollywood and the biggest names in movies. And for vampire fans everywhere, there will be UK exclusive footage from the hotly anticipated The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1.

For Star Wars™ enthusiasts, attendees will hear from key members of the team from Industrial Light and Magic and also C3PO star Anthony Daniels, as they take us on a journey behind the scenes of the beloved films while revealing new content which will be found in the upcoming release of Star Wars: The Complete Saga on Blu-ray.  Visitors will have a special opportunity to be photographed on part of a replica Star Wars set, and fans are also invited to the special Star Wars Blu-ray Lounge on Saturday to share and record their own personal Star Wars story as part of the Star Wars Stories Project. In addition fans and families alike can take part in the Star Wars: Padawan Training School, a must for would-be Jedis everywhere!

A late edition to the programme is John Carter. Never before seen footage of this epic story will be introduced onscreen by creative visionary writer/director Andrew Stanton, whose creative work includes the classics Wall.E and Finding Nemo. John Carter is Stanton’s first live feature and we are delighted that Disney will be sharing this sneak peak within their Sunday showcase.

Terry Gilliam, the Monty Python legend and visionary filmmaker behind Time Bandits, Brazil and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, will host an in-depth talk about his career and give us the first word on his new project The Wholly Family.

Empire Presents BIG SCREEN is also delighted to announce that the director of Real Steel, Shawn Levy (Night at the Museum, Date Night), will be attending in person to present exclusive never before seen footage from the October 14th release. In addition to showing footage from the movie, Shawn will also be discussing the amazing techniques he used in bringing the movie to the big screen. It promises to be a hugely entertaining experience, with the chance to see one of Hollywood’s top directors describing in person how he created what promises to be one of the most thrilling movies of the year. Guests will also have the chance to meet and have their photo taken with one of the robots from the film, Atom, on Hollywood Boulevard.

Guests will delight at the industry’s greatest animators Pixar unveiling To Infinity And Beyond: Celebrating 25 Years of Pixar - a celebratory screening of all of the Pixar films and shorts, which will include a preview of the next film Brave. They can also enjoy a special satellite conversation with The Muppets who will be exclusively discussing Disney’s The Muppets not out in cinemas until February 2012.

Audiences will be thrilled to hear that, courtesy of Sony Pictures and Sony Pictures Animation, Aardman – the geniuses behind the iconic Wallace and Gromit, Chicken Run and Flushed Away, will be present to introduce highlights from their two brand new and soon to be released feature films - Arthur Christmas and The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists. They will demonstrate first-hand how they bring these incredible characters to life.

The many exclusive screenings will also feature a chance for audiences to see before anyone else a host of huge upcoming blockbusters. Already confirmed is the very special screening of the much anticipated film adaptation of the phenomenal New York Times best seller, The Help courtesy of DreamWorks Pictures, and also the future comedy smash The Change-Up, starring Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman, courtesy of Universal Pictures; 5-star Empire reviewed new film The Guard followed by a Q&A with director John Michael McDonagh, and a screening of the refreshingly original horror movie from Momentum Pictures, Troll Hunter, also supported with a cast Q&A. Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis’ much anticipated saucy comedy, Friends with Benefits from Sony Pictures can also be seen. For Lion King fans everywhere a special chance to watch a full preview screening of Disney’s The Lion King 3D in advance of this anticipated release on Blu-ray. Also previewing is Warner Bros. new comedy drama starring Ryan Gosling and Steve Carrel Crazy, Stupid, Love and Sony Pictures’ new Jesse Eisenberg film 30 Minutes or Less.

And Lionsgate UK’s eagerly awaited Conan The Barbarian will be holding its European premiere at BIG SCREEN with its star Jason Momoa (Games of Thrones) in attendance.

Audiences will get to see exclusive sneak peeks of a huge array of forthcoming blockbusters, including the likes of the Guillermo del Toro produced horror Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark and Matthijs van Heijningent Jr’s prequel to John Carpenter’s 1982 classic The Thing, James Cameron’s Titanic 3D, the Justin Timberlake sci-fi In Time and Alien invasion movie The Darkest Hour. Film fans will delight at the host of hotly anticipated films being showcased over the weekend including sneak peeks from The Amazing Spider-Man, Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, Coriolanus, Immortals, The Raven, Contraband, Footloose, Puss in Boots, Kill List, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Total Film, Battleship and Haywire previewing material never before seen in Europe as well as the world exclusive teaser trailer for Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance. Director Nicolas Winding Refn will also be introducing footage from Drive and audiences will also be treated to an exclusive panel comprising James Watkins, Susan Hill and Jon Harris discussing Daniel Radcliffe’s up-coming ghostly hit The Woman in Black as well as enjoying a sneak peak at the hugely anticipated adaption of John le Carre’s Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy starring Gary Oldman and Colin Firth.

Actor Mark Strong (Sherlock Holmes, Kick-Ass), director Eran Creevy and producers Rory Aitken and Ben Pugh will unveil footage from their new film Welcome to the Punch which, although still in production, is tipped to be the hottest British crime thriller whilst the creator of BBC’s Sherlock, Mark Gatiss will talk about his hugely successful TV show. And for car enthusiasts everywhere BIG SCREEN is thrilled to announce that some of the best loved James Bond cars will be on display including the 1937 Rolls Royce Phantom from Goldfinger, the Aston Martin DB5 from Goldeneye and the fully armoured jaguar SK8 from Die Another Day.
In addition, each of the three days of this incredible event will feature a SECRET SCREENING of a hotly anticipated forthcoming movie.

And if that taster of what is to come isn’t enough to whet appetites, BIG SCREEN will also boast a range of themed screens and areas, offering some amazing treats for all types of film fan including Empire’s very own A Pint of Milk Live with Dominic Cooper star of the upcoming The Devil’s Double -which will also be screened courtesy of Icon Film Distribution and introduced by Dominic.

Visitors will have the chance to enjoy some of their favourite films on the big screen as part of The Modern Greats Screen. Screenings will range from classics such as Apocalypse Now to Clerks to Stand By Me (celebrating its 25th anniversary), to the Scream trilogy, Sin City and Dark Star. Other classic films screening across the weekend include Kick-Ass, with introduction from a very special guest, to a unique Don’t Look Now screening introduced by director Nicolas Roeg.

In addition, The London Film Museum, the only museum of its kind in Great Britain, will be showcasing some of the most iconic movie costumes ever seen including the The Bourne Ultimatum, Highlander, Ali G Indahouse, Indiana Jones, The Golden Compass, Johnny English and Conan, as well as costumes worn by Peter Sellers, Christopher Lee and Sir Alec Guinness. There will also be a stunning display of props and vehicles from various film and television shows including Thunderbirds, Merlin, Cars, Back to the Future, Bond, Doctor Who and Troll Hunter.

The small screen will be represented with previews of the best in top class TV shows from the US and UK, including panels from the show’s makers and stars. Featuring is the pilot premiere of Terra Nova, the European premiere of the pilot episode of the new Thundercats TV show and an Adult Swim showcase featuring exclusive video messages from the show’s stars Tim and Eric.

In Conversation With… offers film fans the chance to hear stories from a huge array of movie professionals including the writers of comic hit The Inbetweeners and the forthcoming The Inbetweeners Movie, Monsters director Gareth Edwards talking about his anticipated epic Godzilla, and producer Robert Watts and actor Paul Freeman (Dr René Belloq) recall the making of iconic masterpiece Raiders of the Lost Ark. And acclaimed producer Roland Emmerich will discuss his new film Anonymous.

How They Do It offers a masterclass from the likes of premier film composer and musical director David Arnold whose credits include five of the James Bond films. And with BIG SCREEN’S Smack Your Pitch Up! fans can try out for our ‘X-Factor of movie pitching’ in front of a live audience and a panel of the industry’s biggest names.

Comic Book World includes a discussion with comic book genius Mark Millar, writer of Kick-Ass and the man who brought Fantastic Four into the 21st Century. And you can join renowned author and Empire critic Kim Newman in his Chamber Of Horrors, where he hosts three days of Q&As, panels and horror screenings including Hardware, Tenebrae, Rogue, a special advance preview of thriller Red State as well as panels on the history of the iconic British studio, Hammer Studios and the eternal fascination with Dracula.

And finally, Empire Comes Alive! offers a humorous and interactive opportunity to see the magazine brought to life. Legendary features such as Movie Mastermind will be brought to the stage with special guest appearances including Noel Clarke, and the chance to give your views to the critics.

Nicola Gunstone, Group Show Director of Empire Presents BIG SCREEN and Stuart Williams, Managing Director of Live Events & Strategic Partnerships at Bauer Media commented: “We are delighted to be working together on the most exciting live movie event seen in London to date. This three day ground-breaking event provides an exciting extension to the Empire brand and offers a unique experience to movie fans in the UK and Europe”

For all additional information go to: www.empirebigscreen.com

EMPIRE PRESENTS BIG SCREEN - FULL LISTINGS:

FILM FOOTAGE AND TRAILERS (INCLUDING EXCLUSIVE):

• The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 (eOne)
• Immortals (Universal Pictures)
• The Raven (Universal Pictures)
• Contraband (Universal Pictures)
• Brave (Pixar)
• Kill List (Optimum Releasing)
• Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark (Optimum Releasing)
• Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (Optimum Releasing)
• The Amazing Spider-man (Sony Pictures)
• The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Sony Pictures)
• 30 Minutes or Less (Sony Pictures)
• Friends with Benefit (Sony Pictures)
• Total Recall (Sony Pictures)
• Straw Dogs (Sony Pictures)
• Moneyball (Sony Pictures)
• Arthur Christmas/ The Pirates! In an Adventure with Scientists (Sony Pictures) - exclusive footage presented by Aardman Animation filmmakers
• Drive (presented by director Nicolas Winding Refn) – Icon Film Distribution
• Haywire (Momentum Pictures)
• The Woman in Black (with director James Watkins and author Susan Hill – Momentum Pictures)
• TrollHunter (presented by André Øvredal) – Momentum Pictures
• Real Steel – presented by director Shawn Levy including extended scenes (DreamWorks)
• The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn (Paramount Pictures)
• Footloose (Paramount Pictures)
• Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (Paramount Pictures)
• Puss in Boots (Paramount Pictures)
• Paranormal Activity 3 (Paramount Pictures)
• Abduction (Lionsgate UK)
• Warrior (Lionsgate UK)
• 50/50 (Lionsgate UK)
• Coriolanus (Lionsgate UK)
• A Dangerous Method (Lionsgate UK)
• John Carter (Disney)
• The Three Musketeers 3D – with a filmed introduction by Paul WS Anderson (eOne)
• Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance (eOne)
• Welcome to the Punch (Momentum Pictures) – with introduction by Eran Creevy, Mark Strong, Rory Aitken and Ben Pugh
• The Thing (Universal Pictures)
• Battleship (Universal Pictures)

SPECIAL EVENTS:

• Animal Stars of the Movies
• Star Wars Industrial Light and Magic Presentation (Twentieth Century Fox)
• Ray Harryhausen: A Celebration by biographer Tony Dalton
• Special Effects Make-up Demo – Stuart Conran (Shaun of the Dead) will be giving a live demonstration
• Rise of the Planet of the Apes – Weta’s Dan Lemmon, the visual effects supervisor gives insight into the make-up and effects behind this blockbuster movie
• Andy Diggle and Jock – join two of the most exciting comic book talents
• Film composer David Arnold (James Bond) reveals secrets behind great film music
• Roland Emmerich (Independence Day,Godzilla, 2012) discusses his new film Anonymous
• Star Wars Padawan Training School – learn how to be a jedi
• Memories of Raiders – Insight into the making of Raiders of the Lost Ark by producer Robert Watts, production designer Norman Reynolds and Paul Freeman
• Adi Granov – the artist who created Robert Downey Jr’s look in Ironman
• Writer Mark Millar (Kick-Ass, Wanted) discussing his work
• The Muppets - An Exclusive Live Satellite Link-up
• Warner Bros. Studio Tour London: The Making of Harry Potter
• Terry Gilliam – a unique opportunity to listen to this industry mastermind discuss his career
• A Pint of Milk Live with Dominic Cooper

PREVIEW SCREENINGS:

• Rise of the Planet of the Apes (Twentieth Century Fox) – James Franco, Freida Pinto, Tom Felton
• The Devil’s Double (Icon Film Distribution) – Dominic Cooper
• Cowboys & Aliens (Paramount Pictures) – Harrison Ford and Daniel Craig
• Friends with Benefits (Sony Pictures) – Justin Timberlake, Mila Kunis
• The Change-Up (Universal Pictures) – Jason Bateman and Ryan Reynolds
• Crazy Stupid Love (Warner Bros.) – Ryan Gosling, Steve Carell
• 30 Minutes or Less (Columbia Pictures) – Jesse Eisenberg
• Conan The Barbarian (Lionsgate UK) – Hosted by Jason Momoa
• Fright Night (DreamWorks) – Hosted by David Tennant
• The Guard (Optimum Releasing) – Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle – followed by Q&A
• The Help (DreamWorks) – Emma Stone
• Red State (eOne) – Kevin Smith
• The Lion King 3D (Disney)
• 30 Minutes or Less (Sony Pictures)

CELEBRATORY SCREENINGS:

• Clerks (director Kevin Smith)
• Apocalypse Now (director Francis Ford Coppola)
• Sin City (director Robert Rodriguez)
• Kick-Ass (director Matthew Vaughn)
• Toy Story (Pixar)
• A Bug’s Life (Pixar)
• Toy Story 2 (Pixar)
• Monsters Inc (Pixar)
• Finding Nemo (Pixar)
• The Incredibles (Pixar)
• Cars (Pixar)
• Ratatouille (Pixar)
• Wall-E (Pixar)
• Up (Pixar)
• Toy Story 3 (Pixar)
• Cars 2 (Pixar)
• Tintin
• Dark Star (director John Carpenter)
• Boyz n the Hood (director John Singleton)
• Scream 1, 2 & 3 (Wes Craven)
• Attack the Block - celebratory screening with director Joe Cornish and cast members followed by Q&A
• Stand by Me (director Rob Reiner)
• Twilight (eOne)
• New Moon (eOne)
• Eclipse (eOne)

PANEL DISCUSSIONS:

• The Big 3D Debate – join 3D masters behind Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and the upcoming 3D The Phantom Menace
• How to Make a Brit Hit – join a stellar panel of British film talent for fun and practical advice
• Writing The Inbetweeners
• A Celebration of Preacher – playing tribute to Garth Ennis and Steve Dillon’s 75 issue series
• The Greatest Comic Book Characters of all Time – it’s your chance to decide your favourite character
• On Stage: Dave Gibbons – the comic book artist behind Watchmen talks about his work
• Meet the Creators: Mike Carey (Hellblazer, Lucifer), Ian Edginton (2000AD, Sherlock), Chris Weston (Fantastic Four, The Twelve)
• Casting Masterclass: Fiona Weir – the Harry Potter and Love Actually casting guru discusses the challenges of finding new talent as well the highs and lows of finding the right actor to create a memorable character
• Nick Gillard, Stunt Master – join this master of stunts for a discussion on his career which includes the Bond movies, Sleepy Hollow and Spooks
• The Greatest Comic of All Time – which comic book rules
• Gareth Edwards (Monsters and Godzilla) discusses great movie monsters
• Memories of Alien – panel of behind-the-scenes crew discussing the making of the film hosted by Ian Nathan
• 2000AD: A Celebration – A look into the weekly sci-fi title that’s been running since 1977
• Write Stuff – How to become a Screenwriter, Want to Become a Screenwriter? - Panel of top British screenwriting talent including Drew Pearce (Iron Man 3), Stuart Hazeldine (Exam, Knowing) and Jeremy Drysdale (Grand Theft Parsons)
• How to Become a Superhero – everything you need to know about becoming a bona fide crimefighter
• On Stage: Grant Morrison – the man behind Zenith, The Invisibles, Animal Man and All-Star Superman

SMALL SCREEN AT BIG SCREEN:

• BBC Sherlock – creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss talk about their hugely successful reboot.
• TV Showcase – featuring clips from Merlin and Adult Swim
• Pilot premiere of Terra Nova
• European premiere of the brand-new Thundercats TV show (pilot)

EMPIRE PANEL DISCUSSIONS:

• Empire Editors Panel – a lively discussion as Empire editors discuss their experiences
• Movie Mastermind Live – a live and interactive version of the classic Empire feature
• Smack Your Pitch Up – pitch your movie idea to a panel of producers and film industry execs
• The Best Empire Cover of All Time – join the debate (and your chance to win a signed no.1 cover)
• The Film Critics Panel – Do critics matter?
• The Bastard Hard Movie Quiz Panel – Kim Newman’s legendary quiz in panel game format
• How to Become a Film Journalist – a panel of critics will give you the inside track on how to get your foot in the door
• The 100 Greatest Movies of All Time – opportunity to reopen the debate and shape the outcome of a major Empire feature.
• The Big Screen Pageant – come dressed as your favourite character and win a best costume

KIM NEWMAN’S CHAMBER OF HORRORS:

• The Signal - Special Screening
• Hardware - Special Screening presented by director Richard Stanley
• The Eternal Appeal of Dracula -
• Six And The Human Centipede – Director Tom Six and producer Ilona Six defend their shocking sequel
• Rogue Special Screening
• Hammer Horror Special – including exclusive material from the new film The Woman in Black
• Hammer double bill featuring Quatermass and the Pit and the new film Wake Wood
• Tenebrae – Special Screening with introduction and discussion by Alan Jones
• The House of the Devil – Special Screening
• Kim Newman’s Horror Quiz – opportunity to win prizes
• Don’t Look Now – Special Screening presented by director Nicolas Roeg followed by Q&A

Empire Presents...BIG SCREEN with Terry Gilliam in attendance

We are only a matter of days away until Empire Presents BIG SCREEN descends on London’s O2 Arena and we have further exciting announcements for film fans, including the attendance of Terry Gilliam!

• Terry Gilliam Sunday, Indigo, 18.00-18.45 - The Monty Python legend and visionary filmmaker behind Time Bandits, Brazil, The Fisher King, Fear And Loathing In Las Vegas and 12 Monkeys, will join us at the IndgiO2 on Friday to talk about his career and give us the first word on his new project The Wholly Family. This is not to be missed.
• KICK-ASS Special Screening, with Very Special Guest Q&A Saturday August 13, 5.30pm - We're delighted to round off Saturday at Comic Book World with a very special screening of Matthew Vaughn's brilliant superhero flick, Kick-Ass. Based on Mark Millar's comic book, it's the movie that launched the careers of Aaron Johnson and Chloe Moretz, and is the funniest, punkiest, punchiest comic book flick in years. And as a bonus, the screening will be introduced by a Very Special Guest, who will also take part in a pre-screening Q&A. Book now!
• HELLRAISERS: LIVE, with Robert Sellers and JAKe - Friday August 12, 10.00-10.45 - In October, Self-Made Hero will release a truly unique graphic novel, HELLRAISERS. An illustrated version of Empire contributor, Robert Sellers' book about the legendary antics of Burton, O'Toole, Harris and Reed, it's a must-read. And a truly unique graphic novel deserves a truly unique event. To kick off COMIC BOOK WORLD, Sellers and Hellraisers artist, JAKe, will perform a reading from the graphic novel, with JAKe drawing new and exclusive art LIVE on stage. Don't miss this amazing one-off to hear some hilarious tales of drunken derring-do and see magic happen before your eyes!
• MEET THE CREATORS: MIKE CAREY, IAN EDGINTON, CHRIS WESTON - Sunday August 14, 13.45-14.30 - In this amazing panel, a trio of top comic book creators will come together to lift the lid on the secrets of the industry and answer all the questions you ever wanted to ask about comic books. Join writers MIKE CAREY (Hellblazer, Lucifer) and IAN EDGINTON (2000 AD, Self-Made Hero's SHERLOCK HOLMES adaptations) and top artist CHRIS WESTON (Fantastic Four: First Family, The Twelve) for this panel that promises to be both funny and insightful.

LEARN THE SECRETS BEHIND THE FORCE AT EMPIRE PRESENTS... BIG SCREEN

To celebrate STAR WARS™: THE COMPLETE SAGA launching on Blu-ray September 12th, Lucasfilm Ltd. and Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment have teamed up with Empire Presents…BIG SCREEN for three days of incredible Star Wars activity at London’s The O2.

On August 12-14th, Empire Presents…BIG SCREEN will play host to a variety of rare treats for Star Wars fans of all ages.

C-3P0 himself, Anthony Daniels, will be on hand on August 12th and 13th to introduce a very special Industrial Light & Magic presentation, where the geniuses behind Star Wars’ ground-breaking effects will guide audiences through the secrets of the beloved movie series.

Joining Anthony Daniels on stage will be two of ILM’s most key talent – Digital Artist John Goodson and Visual Effects Supervisor Bill George. Fans will hear from Bill and John as they take us on a journey behind the scenes of the films while revealing exclusive new content which will be found in the upcoming release of STAR WARS™: THE COMPLETE SAGA on Blu-ray.

In addition, on Saturday August 13th only, there will be an incredible Star Wars Blu-ray Lounge, in association with Panasonic. This amazing installation will bring the high definition wonder of the upcoming STAR WARS™: THE COMPLETE SAGA on Blu-ray to a virtual living room at London’s The O2, with some exclusive sneak peeks at some of the 40-hours of special features never-before seen in the comfort of our dedicated lounge.  Attendees will also receive a limited edition Star Wars character mask! Fans are also invited to the lounge on Saturday to share and record their own personal Star Wars story as part of the Star Wars Stories Project.

Meanwhile, over the duration of the weekend, every fan attending Empire Presents… BIG SCREEN will have the special opportunity to be photographed on part of a replica Star Wars set, complete with legendary characters C-3P0 and R2-D2 – a memorable treat for families and fans of all ages. Families are also invited all three days to take part in the Star Wars Padawan Training where attendees will learn how to use the force to save the galaxy.

Tickets for Empire Presents… BIG SCREEN start at £10, with a Day Pass just £35
For tickets to Empire Presents…BIG SCREEN, go to www.empirebigscreen.com

Lucasfilm, the Lucasfilm logo, and related properties are trademarks and/or copyrights, in the United States and other countries, of Lucasfilm Ltd. and/or its affiliates. TM & © 2011 Lucasfilm Ltd.  All rights reserved.  All other trademarks and trade names are properties of their respective owners.

Empire presents... BIG SCREEN – Bringing Hollywood to London

MOTION PICTURE STUDIOS LINE UP TO PARTICIPATE IN THE BIGGEST UK FILM EVENT OF THE SUMMER

19 April 2011, London, UK – Bauer Media and Clarion Events are proud to announce that major motion picture studios such as Sony Pictures UK, Warner Bros. and 20th Century Fox have come on board to participate in the highly anticipated live movie event of the summer. Scheduled to take place the weekend of 12-14 August, Empire presents...BIG SCREEN brings the best of Hollywood to The O2, London with a behind-the-scenes look at the movie world.

The unprecedented event will feature exclusive preview screenings, Q&A sessions and master classes with actors and filmmakers, giving ticket holders the opportunity to see the best that Hollywood has to offer, up close and personal, before anyone else.

Amongst those showcasing their upcoming films at the event will be Walt Disney Studios, Universal and Paramount Pictures. Stuart Williams, Deputy Managing Director and Marketing Director of Sony Pictures UK said, “On behalf of Sony Pictures, we are pleased to support Bauer and the BIG SCREEN event to help make it the big success it deserves to be. It promises to be a hugely engaging, exciting and entertaining experience for all film fans.”

Chris Green, Marketing Director of 20th Century Fox, remarked, “We’re delighted to voice our support of Empire presents...BIG SCREEN; a great new idea which we hope will become a major event in the calendar for movie fans in the UK and Europe.”

Nicola Gunstone, Group Show Director of Clarion Events commented, “We are delighted to be working with Empire Magazine on the most exciting live movie event seen in London to date.  The event will provide a myriad of commercial opportunities for companies wishing to engage their brand with thousands of film fans and families alike attending from across the UK.”

Stuart Williams, Managing Director of Live Events & Strategic Partnerships at Bauer Media commented, “This is a ground-breaking event which provides an exciting extension to the Empire brand. It offers a unique experience to the UK which I’m confident will become an essential entry in a movie fan’s diary for many years to come.”

For additional information head over to empirebigscreen.com