Fantastic Mr Fox heads for the Tyneside Cinema

Sep 24 2009 by David Whetstone, The Journal

A GALA screening of the eagerly awaited new Roald Dahl film, Fantastic Mr Fox, is to take place in Newcastle, The Journal can exclusively reveal.

The animated feature from Twentieth Century Fox is director Wes Anderson’s first animated film.

It features the voices of some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, including George Clooney, Meryl Streep (who play Mr and Mrs Fox), Bill Murray and Willem Dafoe.

The special red carpet screening will take place at the Tyneside Cinema, Newcastle, on the morning of October 17 – the first regional screening after the world premiere in London three days earlier.

The Tyneside was chosen for the gala screening because NewcastleGateshead has been hosting this year’s Roald Dahl Big City Read.

The honour, which is allotted to a different city each year, is part of the celebrations held annually around Roald Dahl Day, September 13, which was the late author’s birthday.

Hundreds – perhaps thousands – of people across Newcastle and Gateshead have read Fantastic Mr Fox over the last two or three weeks.

Schoolchildren have had access to copies of the story, as have library visitors.

Fantastic Mr Fox was first published in 1970. It tells of a battle of wits between the Fox family and three farmers, Boggis, Bunce and Bean.

The film opens nationwide on October 23.

For details of how Culture Club members can win tickets to the gala screening, turn to Page 44.