After a week of controversy, UK multiplex chain Vue is set to remove its ban on showing gang movie Blue Story.
The pic opened in the UK over the weekend via Paramount, grossing an impressive $1.7m (and we hear holds during the week have been strong), but was dogged by controversy after an incident at a Birmingham cinema involving a machete. In response, two UK cinema chains pulled the movie, citing safety concerns.
One, Showcase Cinemas, reinstated the film after a backlash, but the other, Vue, maintained its position until this evening, saying there were numerous other incidents around the film during its opening days. Now, Deadline has received a statement from the chain in which it confirms the film is set to reappear at its sites from this weekend.
“Following an ongoing review of security to protect the safety of our staff and customers we hope to be showing the film from this weekend with additional security arrangements in our cinemas to ensure everyone can enjoy the film in comfort and safety,” read the statement.
“We were disappointed to have to make the decision to remove Blue Story from our screens earlier this week, a decision to protect our customers and staff following major incidents connected with the film at 16 of our cinemas all across the country.
“We said at the time that this is a fantastic film and one with a very powerful message – that is why we wanted to show this film. We want to do that while ensuring, above all else, the safety of our customers and colleagues. We also understand the powerful reaction to our decision and we have spoken with interested parties, including the film producers, Paramount, our security advisors and most importantly our own operational teams who manage our cinemas on a day-to-day basis,” it read.
Filmmaker Rapman, real name Andrew Onwubolu, appeared on BBC Breakfast this morning for an interview in which he criticised Vue’s decision to ban the pic.