Rings theatre changes hands

By JAMES GARDINER

When the red carpet is rolled out across Kent Terrace and down Courtenay Place for the Return of the King world premiere next month, Wellington's Embassy Theatre will have a luxurious facelift - and a new owner waiting in the wings.

Just in time for the launch of the third film in director Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy, the Wellington City Council has opened its chequebook to the tune of about $4 million.

Many of the cast are expected to be at the premiere, including Hollywood stars Elijah Wood, Liv Tyler and Viggo Mortensen.

For its $4 million the council will take over ownership of a revamped building worth between $6 million and $7 million from the Embassy Theatre Trust, which itself saved the 1924 neo-classical heritage building from the wrecking ball seven years ago.

The charitable trust has raised $2.5 million for the $4.6 million upgrade under way.

That work was required by New Line, the film company behind Lord of the Rings, as a condition of the Embassy being the venue for the world premiere.

The theatre was used for the Australasian and New Zealand premieres for the first two films, released in 2001 and last year.

Naming rights to seats and tiles in the theatre have been put up for sale.

Hundreds of Wellingtonians with businesses and other charitable trusts have paid hundreds - and in some cases thousands - of dollars each to have their names displayed in the theatre for the next decade and to appear on a roll of honour.

Trust chairman Bill Sheat said it was still hoped a company would come forward with $400,000 for naming rights to the auditorium.

"It could be the New Zealand Herald auditorium," he said yesterday.

He was happy that the council would become the owner because that achieved the trust's objective of preserving the building - Jackson's favourite theatre - as a public asset.

Deputy Mayor Alick Shaw was pleased too. "It's a good deal for the council," he said.

"The ambitions of the trust are met and the council gets its objective, that the world premiere is held here and the world's spotlight is on Wellington."

Herald Feature: Lord of the Rings