The Force Awakens: Theaters across Beaufort County selling tickets early for Star Wars opening
Star Wars fans of Beaufort County -- this is the film you're looking for.
With early reviews of "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" overwhelmingly positive -- the film currently holds a 97 percent rating on review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes -- several local theater managers said they are expecting huge crowds to see the latest sequel in the beloved space opera saga Thursday and through the weekend.
On Hilton Head Island, Northridge Cinema 10 had sold over 230 tickets for Thursday screenings as of 2 p.m. Wednesday, manager Randi Ross said. The theater will screen the film in standard and 3D formats at 7 p.m. and 10 p.m., she said.
"People have been on Twitter raving about it," she said. "They all said J.J. Abrams did a great job and they all like the new cast. Everything I've been reading says it's going to be really good."
Further south, Park Plaza Cinema had already sold out half of their seats for their two Thursday showings -- at 7 p.m. in standard format and 9:45 p.m. in 3D -- manager Rachel Ace said. Park Plaza is also running a contest for best costume and will award a prize to the winner at the end of the film, Ace said.
Both Ace and Ross said only a handful of films have released to the same levels of anticipation and advance ticket sales -- all of them teen films such as Harry Potter, the Hunger Games, and Twilight.
Plaza Stadium Theatre in Beaufort is also holding a contest tied into the movie through its Facebook page. The theater, which has showtimes at 7 p.m. and 9:45 p.m. Thursday in standard and 3D formats, will give out a $30 gift card to a randomly selected person who comments Jedi or Sith on the post.
Cinemark Bluffton 12 has several Thursday showtimes in standard and digital formats, but some have already sold out, according to a manager who declined to provide his name, citing company policy. The theater still has tickets left for three standard format times -- 8 p.m., 10:15 p.m., and 12:01 a.m. Friday -- and two 3D times--9 p.m. and 11 p.m. -- but the manager said he could not think of another move opening to the same level of fanfare.
"Honestly, in the time I've worked here, I can't think of another movie opening with this much anticipation," he said.
Fans looking for a more immersive IMAX experience will have to travel into Georgia to find the closest capable theater, but it may be a few days before it will be available. Royal Cinemas in Pooler has already sold out its 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. shows on Thursday and Friday, but matinee times are available Friday afternoon.
Rain Thursday night won't be a factor for those theaters, but it could affect the number of viewers at the Highway 21 Drive-In outside Beaufort. The drive-in theater will show the new film at 7 p.m. Thursday and at 7:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. each day moving forward, but manager Joe Barth said he didn't expect the weather to deter Star Wars faithful.
Barth said the drive-in could hold up -- or even surpass -- 1,100 people for one film. Given the scope of Star Wars fandom, he said it's a possibility.
"We can probably hold a lot more," he said. "I'm hoping we find out."
Follow reporter Matt McNab at twitter.com/IPBG_Matt.
This story was originally published December 16, 2015 at 5:47 PM with the headline "The Force Awakens: Theaters across Beaufort County selling tickets early for Star Wars opening."