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10,000 to see Narnia premiere
Amar Singh, Media Correspondent20 May 2008
It's going to be Britain's biggest ever film premiere.
Disney's fantasy movie Prince Caspian - the sequel to The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe - will be screened before an audience of 10,000 at the O2 arena.
Liam Neeson, the voice of Aslan the lion, and Ben Barnes, who plays Prince Caspian, are expected to attend the red-carpet event on 19 June, which is in aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital.
A giant screen and a 50,000-watt sound system will be used to turn the huge arena into a cinema-style auditorium.
The latest film instalment of CS Lewis's much-loved Chronicles of Narnia sees the four children from the first story return to the fantasy world and face a new enemy.
Click on play below for an exclusive video clip from Prince Caspian
The film's director Andrew Adamson said: "We're really looking forward to bringing Prince Caspian back to London.
"Although we filmed in some incredible locations, from New Zealand to Slovenia and Prague, all the editing and post-production was completed in London so the city was home to the production for some time.
"Wealso worked mostly with London-based visual effects companies as they are the best in the world.
"As Great Britain is the natural home of CS Lewis, we feel that we're bringing the Chronicles home."
He added: "I'm pleased so many members of the British public will get the chance to experience what will be the biggest premiere to take place in the UK."
The money made by Great Ormond Street will be spent on urgent modernisation of some of the oldest sections of the hospital in Bloomsbury.
It will also go towards the construction of a restaurant, café, Disney interactive zone, and welcoming area for patients, their families, visitors and staff.
A spokeswoman for Great Ormond Street Hospital said: "We are updatingmodernising and improving parts of the hospital that were built around the time of the Second World War. This will help allow us to deliver the best treatment and continue as a cutting-edge facility."
The donation is part of a long-term relationship between the hospital and entertainment giant.
The spokeswoman said: "Disney has been supporting us on and off for about 70 years and the whole relationship was formalised in January when it pledged to help us raise £10 million for our redevelopment appeal.
"This is the first time we have been the main beneficiary of a premiere and it will be phenomenal, with 10,000 people watching the movie.
"We are hoping to take quite a few patients and their families along with us. We will have to limit it to the ones who are big Narnia fans as I'm sure there will be no shortage of children who will want to attend."
For tickets, call 0844 856 0202 or go to www.theo2.co.uk
