SCREEN AFRICA EXCLUSIVE: Code word ‘Olympus’ took on a whole new meaning on
Monday 8 April 2013 at the glitzy South African premiere of Hollywood stars Gerard
Butler and Aaron Eckhart’s new movie Olympus Has Fallen at The Zone in Rosebank,
Johannesburg.
The silver screen heroes were ‘under siege’ by enthusiastic fans, especially after
Butler was gracious enough to deliver his well-known battle cry, “This is Sparta!’ from
the film 300, in which he portrayed the role of King Leonidas.
South African celebrities and other guests waited expectantly for the leading men to
show up before watching the screening of the highly anticipated action thriller that
opens nationwide on Friday 12 April 2013 in Ster-Kinekor theatres.
The handsome co-stars sent pulses racing as they answered questions about Olympus
Has Fallen and opened the event of the year with movie star charm – adding high
glamour to an unforgettable evening.
Olympus Has Fallen, which is raking in big box office earnings worldwide, is a must-
see for action fans. When the White House (Secret Service Codename “Olympus’) is
under attack by a terrorist mastermind and the President, Benjamin Asher (Eckhart) is
kidnapped, disgraced former presidential body guard Mike Banning (Butler) finds
himself trapped in the building. As the national security team scrambles to respond,
they are forced to rely on Banning’s inside knowledge to help retake the White House
and save the President.
Heroism, friendship, patriotism, perseverance and integrity are just some of the
subjects that are explored in this movie in which Butler and Aaron, known for their
diverse roles and dedicated commitment to their craft, set the big screen on fire.
Olympus Has Fallen is distributed by Crystal Brook Distribution, the film distribution
company that hosted Butler and Eckhart in South Africa as part of the actors’ global
tour to promote the upcoming release of the film.
The movie also stars Angela Basset, Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd, Melissa Leo and
Rick Yune and was directed by Antoine Fuqua (Training Day, King Arthur, Brooklyn’s
Finest) and produced by Gerard Butler, Ed Cathell, Danny Lerner and Alan Siegel.
Visit www.facebook.com/CrystalBrookDistribution for more information.
Read more about the actors and Olympus Has Fallen in the next issue of Screen Africa
magazine.
Report by Martie Bester
