Movie Statues Unveiled in Leicester Square
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MOVIE STATUES UNVEILED IN LEICESTER SQUARE WONDER WOMAN, BATMAN, MARY POPPINS, SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN, LAUREL & HARDY, MR BEAN, PADDINGTON AND BUGS BUNNY UNVEILED IN ‘SCENES IN THE SQUARE’ LAUNCH Leicester Square has come to life with a trail of dynamic statues inspired by Britain’s love of film and a century of cinema from the 1920s to 2020s Statues unveiled were iconic DC Super Heroes WONDER WOMAN and BATMAN, musical icons MARY POPPINS and Gene Kelly in SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN, comedy legends LAUREL & HARDY and MR BEAN and classic family favourites PADDINGTON, and BUGS Bunny celebrating his 80th anniversary Hugh Bonneville (PADDINGTON), Patricia Kelly (Gene Kelly’s wife and biographer) and Zizi Strallen (star of West End production of Mary Poppins) were all in attendance Launch included music and special dance performances hosted by TV personality Alex Zane Trail also celebrates the 350th anniversary of Leicester Square London, UK (27th February 2020) - A breath-taking trail of cinematic bronze statues has been unveiled in London’s Leicester Square, celebrating the location’s rich history as the home of film and marking the square’s 350th anniversary. Dynamic statues of Batman, Bugs Bunny, Laurel & Hardy, Mary Poppins, Mr Bean, Paddington, Singin’ in the Rain and Wonder Woman were unveiled in a series of music, dance and lighting performances and special guests including Hugh Bonneville (Paddington) Patricia Kelly (Gene Kelly The Legacy) and Zizi Strallen (who plays the title role in the West End production of Mary Poppins) attended this morning. The unique cultural initiative, called ‘Scenes in the Square’, has been created by Heart of London Business Alliance in partnership with Westminster City Council and major film studios and IP holders. It marks 350 years since Leicester Square was established in 1670, named after the 2nd Earl of Leicester. Since then it has grown to become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, attracting 96 million visitors a year and becoming synonymous with movie premieres. Scenes in the Square hopes to add to this cinematic legacy and popularity, with the movie statues appealing to all ages and tastes and giving film lovers an unmissable reason to visit. Each statue depicts a much-loved movie moment from a different decade since the 1920s, with dynamic poses chosen to naturally interact with the scenery in the square, from rooftops to walls, lamp posts to flower beds. The trail will also come to life on visitors’ mobile phones through a Visit London app, with interactive maps and clips from each film coming to life through NFC technology, along with scannable music playlists through a Spotify partnership. Ros Morgan, Chief Executive of Heart of London Business Alliance, said: “Scenes in the Square is an exciting tribute to Leicester Square’s 350th birthday. Nowhere else in the world can you stop for lunch on a bench with Mr Bean or Paddington, dance alongside Gene Kelly’s Singin’ in the Rain or hold your umbrella aloft next to Mary Poppins. Scenes in the Square is a first of its kind and we hope it will put London on the movie map like the Walk of Fame has in Hollywood.” “We’ve been humbled by the response so far and incredibly lucky to have such support from major movie studios to the stars and their estates, from Rowan Atkinson to Gene Kelly’s wife and biographer Patricia without whom this wouldn’t have been possible. We hope that this is just the beginning and Scenes in the Square will play on for years to come.” Leicester Square has long been the home of film, with the first cinema opening in 1930 and the very first movie premiere taking place in 1937. This long-term trail celebrates unforgettable movies from almost every decade since then through to the 2020s, aiming to bring to life the public’s most loved film moments, in an accessible and engaging way. The goal of Scenes in the Square is to make the square more accessible, interactive and exciting for visitors from 2020 and cement its place as the heart of film in London. The eight statues will be in place until at least the Summer, but organisers hope they will remain for years to come, as the initiative welcomes new statues. ‘Scenes in the Square’ is a free, fully accessible trail for film lovers of all ages. For more information about each statue see the accompanying guide. For the latest information, visit: https://www.leicestersquare.london/scenes-in-the-square/ Follow Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus – the Home of Entertainment Instagram: @DiscoverLSQ - https://www.instagram.com/discoverlsq/ Twitter: @DiscoverLSQ - https://twitter.com/DiscoverLSQ Facebook: @DiscoverLSQ - https://www.facebook.com/discoverlsq/ Hashtag: #DiscoverLSQ PUBLICITY CONTACTS PREMIER For All General Enquiries: [email protected] For enquiries about ‘Scenes in the Square’: Clare Morris – 0207 292 7370 – [email protected] Jason Woodley – 0207 292 7320 – [email protected] SCENES IN THE SQUARE – STATUE GUIDE & QUOTES BATMAN Standing 25 metres above the ground on the rooftop of the Odeon Luxe Cinema, DC’s Batman is the trail’s highest statue and is visible from every corner of the square. The Dark Knight is depicted keeping watch over Leicester Square evoking his familiar stance as Guardian of Gotham. The statue unveiling was marked by a projection of the unmistakable Bat-Signal, projected onto the Odeon Tower. Building lighting will also illuminate the character each evening until 11pm. BUGS BUNNY Digging for carrots in a flower bed in the south west quadrant of the square, Bugs Bunny’s statue celebrates the 80th anniversary since his first film appearance in ‘A Wild Hare’. Famous for his phrase ‘Eh… What’s up, doc?’ he has appeared in more films than any other animated character. Appearing munching a carrot alongside his distinctive mailbox, Bugs was unveiled by a performance of the Looney Tunes theme tune. LAUREL & HARDY The earliest of the movie moments depicted, the TKTS building hosts cinematic comedy legends Laurel and Hardy, who starred in over 100 films together from the 1920s to 1940s. The pair was revealed playfully teetering on a rooftop, in a pose inspired by 1929 short film Liberty, typical of their daring and mischievous style. The statue was unveiled by a choreographed bowler hat dance routine by Bird College, honouring their unmistakeable dance style. MARY POPPINS Gracing the west terrace, the unmistakeable figure of Mary Poppins can be seen above a flower bed, elegantly coming into land in the square that has hosted two movie premieres for the loveable but stern London nanny. Unveiled by star of the West End musical Zizi Strallen, the statue shows the evergreen appeal of this 1960s cinema classic. Zizi Strallen says “Playing Mary Poppins in the West End has been a dream come true. To have been involved in the creation of a statue honouring the character for years to come is truly something special that I will always be proud of.” MR BEAN Gracing a bench in the gardens, Mr Bean celebrates Rowan Atkinson’s legendary comic creation 30 years since his first TV appearance. Mr Bean’s big screen debut came with the box office smash ‘Bean: The Ultimate Disaster Movie’ in 1997. Rowan Atkinson, who sat for the production of this statue, says, “This is a genuine and very great honour: the only sculpture for which Mr. Bean has ever posed. The character is very well known internationally but he is essentially a British character and a London character, so it feels so right for the only statue that exists of him to be in Leicester Square.” PADDINGTON This loveable statue was unveiled by British actor Hugh Bonneville, who plays Henry Brown in both hit films, Paddington (2014) and Paddington 2 (2017). He was joined by D-Lime, the calypso band that featured in both films. Paddington is situated on a bench in Leicester Square gardens, where visitors can enjoy their lunch next to the marmalade loving star of two BAFTA-nominated films. Hugh Bonneville said, “The global response to Paddington has been truly fantastic. On behalf of the Brown family and the Bear from Darkest Peru, thank you for letting him share his marmalade sandwiches in this iconic location” SINGIN’ IN THE RAIN The joyful and iconic figure of Gene Kelly on a lamppost from the timeless dance sequence he directed and choreographed for Singin’ in the Rain (1952) was revealed by a dance troupe from London’s Bird College in a reimagined homage to the classic number. Patricia Ward Kelly, Gene’s wife and biographer said, “Gene wanted to be remembered for being behind the camera as a director and choreographer as well as in front of it, so it is important to celebrate not only his joyful presence but also his role in creating this indelible scene. He would be proud to be in this historic spot, across from the famous theatre where his films premiered, in a city that he dearly loved.” WONDER WOMAN One of the most dynamic of the statues, Wonder Woman is seen bursting through the wall of Vue Leicester Square three metres above the ground, her spectacular Lasso of Truth illuminating the area. Inspired by a battle scene from the 2017 film Wonder Woman, the statue also celebrates the 2020 release of Wonder Woman 1984. Notes to Editors DiscoverLSQ DiscoverLSQ and www.leicestersquare.london are consumer destination channels owned and operated by Heart of London Business Alliance on behalf of member businesses in the local area. Heart of London Business Alliance Since 2001 Heart of London Business Alliance has been cementing London’s position as the world’s leading cultural destination by working on behalf of over 500 businesses and 100 property owners in the Leicester Square & Piccadilly Circus and Piccadilly & St James’s areas of the West End.