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'Star Wars' Hollywood Premiere Expected To Be 'Bigger Than The Oscars'
Star Wars: The Force Awakens doesn't hit theaters until Dec. 18, but hundreds of fans have already been lining up outside the TCL Chinese Theater in Hollywood since Dec. 5. But this week, as the plebeians continue to shiver in concrete-cushioned sleeping bags, workers have already been preparing the red carpet and all its accoutrements for the star-studded world premiere on Monday. Unsurprisingly, it's predicted to be a doozy: one production manager told The Hollywood Reporter, "This is definitely bigger than the Oscars."According to THR, four blocks of Hollywood Blvd. were already been shut down to traffic as of Thursday night at 11 p.m. On Friday, a massive tent was erected on the sidewalk, from Highland to La Brea.
You can really get a sense of the scope of this thing with this birds-eye view of the boulevard:
Crews setting up tent on Hollywood Blvd for #StarWars #ForceAwakens premiere between Highland & Orange. @KNX1070 pic.twitter.com/Pm1OLXxp5X
— Thom Tran (@ThomTranKNX) December 11, 2015
While Disney and Lucasfilm have not officially said which of the Hollywood theaters will be screening the film, there are three options within the area that's closed off: The Dolby (which hosts the Oscars), El Capitan Theater, and the TCL Chinese Theater.
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For the Hollywood premiere, they're building the mother of all red carpet tents #StarWars pic.twitter.com/Bv8lFAbFDe
— Jon Erlichman (@JonErlichman) December 12, 2015
On Friday, police officers patrolled through groups of tourists, while others directed cars to detours. Sidewalks are still open, and businesses along that stretch of Hollywood Blvd. will also remain open through the weekend, although some said they might close on Monday, the day of the premiere. The parking garage at Hollywood and Highland will be open, too.
But bad news for everyone who's been dutifully camping out: they'll have to move before the premiere gets underway. While we can't speak for the other "stars" of Star Wars (ha ha!), it appears that Harrison Ford probably wouldn't mind mingling with such riff-raff, at least according to BuzzFeed. In an act of sympathy (or pity), the Chinese theater has offered to hold onto the camping equipment until all the #celebs are gone. Camper Caroline Ritter told THR that they'll be allowed back into the courtyard after the premiere and the party are over around midnight. Noise from this week's tent construction made it difficult to sleep, but it's all good, said Ritter, "Lucasfilm bought us pizza, so that was nice."
Deadline reports additional Hollywood street closures thanks to more film premieres: Hollywood Blvd. will be closed from 10 a.m. until midnight on Tuesday, Dec. 15 for the Point Break premiere, and again on Wednesday, Dec. 16 for the same hours for the premiere of The Revenant, in which Leonardo DiCaprio most certainly does not get raped by a bear.
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