Advertisement

'Hotel Mumbai' pulled from New Zealand cinemas after terrorist attack

Armie Hammer stars in upcoming thriller ‘Hotel Mumbai’, which is based on true events. (Credit: Bleecker Street)
Armie Hammer stars in upcoming thriller ‘Hotel Mumbai’, which is based on true events. (Credit: Bleecker Street)

The new thriller film Hotel Mumbai has been pulled from cinemas in New Zealand in the wake of the recent terrorist attack.

Icon Film Distribution released the movie, which tells the story of terrorist attacks in Mumbai in 2008, into cinemas in Australia and New Zealand on Thursday, just a day before 50 people were killed in Christchurch.

Read more: Royals pay tribute to Christchurch victims

The company has now chosen to pull the film from cinemas until 28 March, saying they have made the decision “out of respect for a country in morning”.

Hotel Mumbai follows Dev Patel as a hotel staff member who is forced to keep his guests alive, including Armie Hammer’s wealthy American and Jason Isaacs as a Russian businessman, when terrorists lay siege to the building.

Actor Dev Patel attends the ‘Hotel Mumbai’ New York screening at Museum of Modern Art on March 17, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jim Spellman/WireImage)
Actor Dev Patel attends the ‘Hotel Mumbai’ New York screening at Museum of Modern Art on March 17, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Jim Spellman/WireImage)

In a statement, Icon said: “Following the recent terrorist attacks in New Zealand, Icon Film Distribution have announced the suspension of the film Hotel Mumbai from all cinemas in New Zealand.

“Upon hearing about the attacks on Friday, Icon Film Distribution immediately suspended all advertising for the film in New Zealand. After consultation with local exhibition partners, the decision was made to suspend the film out of respect for a country in mourning.”

Hotel Mumbai premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in September 2018, but made its wide release debut in Australia and New Zealand, having been shot in Adelaide as well as in India.

Read more: Armie Hammer refutes Batman rumours

Critics praised the film, which is currently sat at a 79% approval rating on aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes.

Its US release is scheduled for 22 March, with Sky Cinema acquiring the UK rights for a release on 3 May.