Miramar Cinema renovation is in full swing

Update : "Peter Jackson" has been changed to "Sir Peter Jackson". :)
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The old theatre building in Miramar that is owned by Sir Peter Jackson, Richard Taylor, and Jamie Selkirk, is finally being renovated. It looks like Jamie Selkirk's prediction for a September 2010 opening might be pushed back by six months though!

In September last year, NewsWire reported that the opening would be around September 2010. However, in March this year, the the Wellingtonian quoted Jamie Selkirk that "...[the Wgtn council's building-]consent takes longer than you think", and estimates to be six months behind schedule as a result. That would be mean a March 2011 opening then.
 
The nature of the work has meant the almost complete demolishion of the rear of the building, leaving only the facade up. It currently looks like this:

Compare that with this photo from September 2009, and it's clear how much work has already been done:

 photo by Daniel Simmons Ritchie for NewsWire

The two shops/art galleries at the base of the building have been emptied, of course. I'll keep a close eye on the building - if anything changes I'll update it here.

  - Jack M

Update on Miramar's Capitol Court Cinema/Theatre

While I'm updating earlier reports - NewsWire reports that the Capitol Court will be restored, starting (as I mentioned earlier) around January next year. They expect to show their first movie around September 2010 already, which is fantastic!

It's all being driven by Jamie Selkirk, who co-owns it with Peter Jackson and Richard Taylor. Apparently the other two are too busy making movies, so he's taking over the project.

Jamie Selkirk has been working with Peter Jackson ever since Peter's first movie Bad Taste, and has edited every PJ movie since then.


The Capitol Court will be TWO screens (not one, as I reported earlier), and will be renamed The Miramar. There was no mention of any Lord Of The Rings exhibits planned.

Two new partners have been found - Penthouse Cinema and Polo Cafe, who will be supplying the coffee.

Full report here.

  - Jack

Update : Work starting on Miramar Cinema from January 2010

It looks like work may finally be starting on Peter Jackson's old theatre Capitol Court, in Miramar. As I wrote earlier, he bought it originally to turn into a LOTR-themed museum.

My contact has assured me that that is finally now planned for January 2010. Apparently the building will be reconfigured to include one silver screen, so there will be movies playing. On top of that there will also be space dedicated to displaying movie props.

My expectation is that the cinema will hold somewhere around the 150-250 seats.

Watch this space!

  - Jack M.

Movement at Miramar Cinema finally?

Back in 2003, Peter Jackson and Jamie Selkirk got together and bought up an old Cinema here in Wellywood called Capitol Court, which is a 1920's Art Deco building. The word around town was that it would be developed into a LOTR related cinema, possibly with a Rings museum attached to it.

Fast forward to a year ago, June 2008, and the cinema had still not been used or renovated. Richard Taylor set up the Weta Cave, with its own little mini-museum. The whispers at the time were that the LOTR museum would be at the Cave instead of at Capitol Court. Everything went fairly quiet for another year or so.

From a Lord Of The Rings Museum perspective, the Weta Cave is distinctly unimpressive - a little disappointing even. The mini-museum is little more than a single small room (about the size of my small kitchen, in fact), and although it's crammed full of goodies, the LOTR stuff shares precious space with earlier Peter Jackson movies, and other Weta movies - which is, as it should be - after all, this is the Weta Museum, not the LOTR museum.


In regards to the Capitol Court building - every so often there are little news items published in the local papers about how the Miramar residents would like still the building restored to its former Art Deco glory, and how nothing seems to have been done, etc.

When the papers consult either of the owners, generally "things" are reported to be happening in the background but quotes from either Peter Jackson or Jamie Selkirk invariably state they are "in progress", "in talks", or "under discussion". And invariably, things die down again soon afterwards.


However, there appears to be some recent movement at the cinema itself, and I've also heard from a number of sources living in the area that there may well be some light on the horizon. I understand that in the next few weeks I may have some more definite news, but apparently the go-ahead on the redevelopment of the cinema has been given.


Of course, this does not (yet) mean that we're getting a "proper" LOTR museum - but if things are moving in that direction, perhaps we will at least get a proper little venue to watch The Hobbit on, in time for release date! Only time will tell.

Watch this space. Again.