NEWS | US Theaters Refuse to Run Bush's Death

Many applauded the decision of Newmarket Films of acquiring the distribution rights for the daring mocumentary 'Death of a President'. A project that started from a simple idea of 'what if', Gabriel Range made it into a real wonder, acclaimed at the Toronto Film Festival and by critics from all over the world.

But many Americans are not that happy with seeing the faux documentary play. While, as its writer and director said multiple times, it is not a cry for violence but for judgment, people are not that open at the idea of seeing President Bush being gunned down. The plot for 'Death of a President' is placed in the near future and it details the assassination of the President and the ensuing investigation.

Slated for release in the United States on October 27, many major chains of theaters have already expressed their desire not to run it. Among the reasons given for the refusal are also that they do not want to be considered as encouraging controversy or political debate, and especially not negative one, as is the case with this movie.

'We would not be inclined to program this film. We feel it's inappropriate to portray the future assassination of a sitting president, regardless of political affiliation', the CEO for Regal Entertainment Group, the largest theater chain in the country, said. The Texas-based Cinemark USA shares the same view, according to their corporate spokesperson: 'We're not playing it on any of our screens. It's a subject we don't wish to play. We decided to pass on the film'.

But Newmarket is still optimistic about the movie's prospects. Their representatives say that it will eventually turn out to be a major hit at the box-office, just as it happened with other controversial projects too, including the ones that had Gabriel Range's name as heading.

Despite the fact that so many distributors turned down the offer, there still are many who accepted to run 'Death of a President'. Accordingly, it will open in the US on October 27.