Some overzealous movie theater exhibitors — and Keanu Reeves — were the cause of a security scare at CinemaCon in 2016.
Unattended backpacks prompted security protocols for a bomb scare following Lionsgate’s presentation last year, which was meant to end with screening the entirety of their magic thriller “Now You See Me 2.”
Just before the movie began, Reeves came out to hype “John Wick 2” for the annual convention of American movie exhibitors. Two representatives from an unnamed theater chain bolted to try to meet him — and when they didn’t return, their seat mates got suspicious.
“When Keanu Reeves left the stage, two overzealous delegates left their seats hoping to get an autograph,” said CinemaCon Managing Director Mitch Neuhauser at then opening night presentation of CinemaCon 2017.
“After a period of time, with their backpacks sitting on their chairs, the person sitting next to them [did the right thing]. They spoke to our security guard. We did what we thought the proper thing was to do by shutting down the screening,” he concluded.
So not really a bomb scare at all. Still, Neuhauser introduced a new member of the CinemaCon staff — Farrah, a bomb-sniffing German Shepherd. Better safe than sorry?
More to come …