Talk about hot to trot: Tickets to presumed summer sizzler Sex And The City 2 began selling just over six weeks before the sequel opens on May 27. Tickets for summer tentpoles generally go on sale a few weeks early,but even May 7 opener Iron Man 2 has yet to begin advanced ticketing. Industry sources cited solid early interest since sales for the Warner Bros. release began at all Regal Cinemas locations recently. The studios executive VP distribution,Jeff Goldstein,described ticket sales as brisk. The first big-screen adaptation of the HBO hit proved to be a powerful magnet for female moviegoers,grossing more than $415 million at the worldwide box-office. Pundits expect the sequel to do better,thanks to the growing pull of niche-marketed movies and the generally dependable trend of sequels outgrossing originals. Fandango spokesman Harry Medved said Sex 2 was outselling pictures just days away from release. It was nearly 20 per cent of our daily sales when it first went on sale,outpacing (new box-office champ) Kick-Ass,which was 17 per cent of sales, Medved said. We saw surprisingly strong advance ticket sales on the first one,with many female moviegoers buying tickets en masse,planning screening parties for groups of friends who were flying in from out of town. Indeed,Regal is offering early ticketing on Sex 2 so patrons can plan gals-nights-out of the sort that marked the theatrical release of the franchise original,Regal marketing boss Dick Westerling said. Women across the country are anxious to plan events and activities related to their evening out to see the film,and they want confirmation that they have tickets, Westerling said. Based on our experience with the first film,this can become quite an elaborate and fun-filled evening. Aside from purchasing tickets to see the movie,they are already reserving limousines and making restaurant reservations.
