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By Gemma Brosnan Dos Santos
THE plume of volcanic ash from Iceland that has air traffic across Europe and the Atlantic at a standstill is causing chaos in the entertainment world, both in the UK and abroad.
The decision to move the ‘Iron Man 2’ world premiere from London to Los Angeles due to the volcanic ash cloud highlights the severity of the disruption caused to the film business worldwide.
International film and TV execs' travel plans continue to be disrupted as more eruptions from the Icelandic volcano continue to hamper plans to reopen some European airports.
Paramount and Marvel Entertainment said in a statement, "Due to the continuing air travel uncertainty, Paramount Pictures and Marvel Entertainment have taken the decision to move the 'Iron Man 2' world premiere and junket to Los Angeles. A press release will be issued in due course advising of this event and confirming talent attendance."
The film, which stars Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson, Mickey Rourke and Gwyneth Paltrow, was due to premiere in London on Sunday.
The London Book Fair, which opened Monday, has also been heavily affected, with a fifth of the seminars cancelled and exhibitors also down by a fifth.
Many of the stars and filmmakers of the 85 films featured at The Tribeca Film festival in New York which starts Wednesday are also stranded in Europe. Festival organisers fear the city will lose millions if the disruption continues and are trying desperately trying to reroute the filmmakers around the plume or have them participate remotely by satellite or other means.
Tribeca Film Festival spokeswoman Tammie Rosen said in a statement: "We are monitoring the travel of the filmmakers flying in from overseas and rerouting the filmmakers whose flights have been impacted. We are working to try and get all the filmmakers here for their festival screenings."
All flights in and out of the U.K. have been suspended since April 15.
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