It looks like there will be one less mutant in Davis come the end of the month.
The contest to determine which city “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” will premiere in came out negative for Davis, in favor of Tempe, Ariz.
Though spokesperson for Twenty-first Century Fox Melinda Wood could not reveal the exact numbers, the race was very close, and the contest was “down to the wire.”
Voting lasted two weeks, ending on Friday. The online voting was open to all U.S. cities, and was based on the proportion of the town’s population. By the time voting ended, Tempe and Davis were neck and neck in the competition.
“We were [basically] campaigning for the premiere to come to Davis,” said Tal Filossof, volunteer for the Entertainment Council and sophomore communication major. “We had a table set up for people to vote in the MU, we handed out fliers, and basically just told everyone we knew to vote.”
Tempe, Ariz., located east of Phoenix and home to Arizona State University, pulled in the most votes. The Hollywood-style premiere will be held in the Harkin Tempe Marketplace on Apr. 27.
“The city of Davis really gave us a run for our money,” said Bryan Laurel, director of marketing for Harkins Theatre. “While people from all over the valley participated here, the students at Arizona State University really stepped up and brought it home for us.”
Likewise, Filossof believed that if it weren’t for the students at UC Davis, the race would not have been as close.
“The students definitely played a huge role in Davis’ success,” she said. “Tempe had their mayor promote it, but we basically just had a bunch of really enthusiastic fans and the entertainment council. Everyone who knew about the movie wanted it to come to Davis.”
Star of the movie Hugh Jackman will be attending the premiere in Tempe with some of his “friends and enemies,” according to a press release. Though he has never been to Arizona, he is reportedly glad to meet some of his biggest fans.
“People were so excited to get involved,” Jackman said in an interview with USA Today. “I do love meeting the fans, particularly with these movies. I know how passionate they are, and I love to share it with them.”
LAUREN STEUSSY can be reached at campus@theaggie.org.
