The Force Awakens to screen on Tower of London as part of Luna Cinema 2016 outdoor cinema programme

Newest Star Wars film to be first of the franchise allowed for outdoor screening
Spring has sprung (supposedly) and with it comes news of the latest summer season of outdoor film screenings. The Luna Cinema has once again expanded its repertoire, from 70 in 2014 and 120 in 2015 to 150 outdoor film screenings in its 2016 programme.
The most notable addition to the lineup is new venue The Tower of London, which has granted exclusive permission to The Luna Cinema for outdoor cinema screenings, where audiences will sit in the moat and be treated to Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Gladiator and Baz Luhrmann’s Romeo+Juliet. This also represents the first time permission has been granted to show a Star Wars film on an outdoor screen.
‘For years I’ve been dreaming about putting on a screening at the Tower of London – one of London’s most iconic and dramatic landmarks,’ said George Wood, founder of The Luna Cinema. ‘This year we’ve finally made it happen and I couldn’t be more excited for the upcoming season. As well as some other incredible new venues, such as Kenwood House, Blenheim Palace and Harewood House, this summer we will finally be able to watch Star Wars under the stars – where it was meant to be seen.’
The season kicks off at the newly restored Hastings Pier on 12 May, which is reopening for the first time since it was destroyed by fire in 2010. Other returning venues include stately homes, botanical gardens and medieval castles – not to mention a screening of Jaws at a lido – because, of course.
Site specific screenings that match film with setting are among our top picks, from Harry Potter at Alnwick Castle to Jurassic Park in the Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh to Spectre at Blenheim Palace. The latter is one of several recent blockbusters in the lineup, alongside The Big Short, Mad Max: Fury Road and Star Wars.
Audiences are invite to bring their own food and refreshments. But if you don’t fancy carrying in, Luna is organising hot food and a full bar at each site – not to mention director’s chairs for premium ticket holders.
You can check out the full Luna Cinema programme below. Tickets are £13.50-20 for adults, £9-13.50 for kids.
The programme to date (please note some film choices are yet to be announced):
Hastings Pier / 12 May / Re: A Pier
Hastings Pier / 13 May / Jaws (1975)
Hastings Pier / 14 May / Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Hastings Pier / 27 May / Pride (2014)
Hastings Pier / 28 May / Dirty Dancing (1987)
Crystal Palace Park / 23 June / Jurassic Park (1993)
Crystal Palace Park / 24 June / Groundhog Day (1993)
Crystal Palace Park / 25 June / Pretty Woman (1990)
Morden Hall Park / 30 June / Jurassic Park (1993)
Morden Hall Park / 1 July / Bridesmaids (2011)
Morden Hall Park / 2 July / Top Gun (1986)
Holkham Hall, Norfolk / 1 July / Back To The Future (1985)
Holkham Hall, Norfolk / 2 July / Dirty Dancing (1987)
Harewood House, Leeds / 7 July / Labyrinth (1986)
Harewood House, Leeds / 8 July / Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Harewood House, Leeds / 9 July / Dirty Dancing (1987)
Highfield Park, St Albans / 7 July / Pretty Woman (1990)
Swanley Park / 8 July / Pretty Woman (1990)
Swanley Park / 9 July / Top Gun (1986)
Hall Place, Bexley / 13 July / The Goonies (1985)
Brockwell Lido / 14 July / Jaws (1975)
Tooting Common / 13 July / Pitch Perfect (2012)
Tooting Common / 14 July / Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986)
National Memorial Arboretum / 15 July / Dad’s Army (2016)
National Memorial Arboretum / 16 July / Grease (1978)
Stonor Park / 15 July / Top Gun (1986)
Stonor Park / 16 July / Grease (1978)
One New Change / 17 July / The Princess Bride (1987)
Kenwood House / 19 July / Casablanca (1942)
Kenwood House / 20 July / The Goonies (1985)
Kenwood House / 21 July / Notting Hill (1999)
Brockwell Lido / 21 July / The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou (2004)
Tonbridge Castle / 22 July / Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
Tonbridge Castle / 23 July / Grease (1978)
Tonbridge Castle / 24 July / Back To The Future (1985)
Greenwich Park / 22 July / Aliens (1986)
Greenwich Park / 23 July / Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Greenwich Park / 24 July / Labyrinth (1986)
Wandsworth Park / 26 July / Casablanca (1942)
Wandsworth Park / 27 July / The Goonies (1985)
Highfield Park, St Albans / 27 July / Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
Ascot Racecourse / 28 July / Jaws (1975)
Ascot Racecourse / 29 July / Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Ascot Racecourse / 30 July / Pretty Woman (1990)
Leeds Castle / 28 July / Bridesmaids (2011)
Leeds Castle / 29 July / Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Leeds Castle / 30 July / Top Gun (1986)
One New Change / 31 July / Zoolander (2001)
Chiswick House / 2 August / The Great Gatsby (2013)
Chiswick House / 3 August / Spectre (2015)
Chiswick House / 4 August / Grease (1978)
Kensington Palace / 2 August / Spectre (2015)
Kensington Palace / 3 August / The Breakfast Club (1985)
Kensington Palace / 4 August / Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
Kensington Palace / 5 August / Some Like It Hot (1959)
Knebworth House / 5 August / Spectre (2015)
Knebworth House / 6 August / Dirty Dancing (1987)
Knebworth House / 7 August / Notting Hill (1999)
Alexandra Palace / 6 August / Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Alexandra Palace / 7 August / Labyrinth (1986)
The Tower of London / 9 August / Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
The Tower of London / 10 August / Gladiator (2000)
The Tower of London / 11 August / Romeo + Juliet (1996)
Bournemouth Pier Approach / 9 August / Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Bournemouth Pier Approach / 10 August / Romeo + Juliet (1996)
Bournemouth Pier Approach / 11 August / Back To The Future (1985)
Bournemouth Pier Approach / 12 August / Grease (1978)
Hampton Court Palace / 12 August / Pretty Woman (1990)
Hampton Court Palace / 13 August / Jaws (1975)
Lydiard House / 13 August / Grease (1978)
Lydiard House / 14 August / Back To The Future (1985)
Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre / 14 August / Jurassic Park (1993)
Victoria Embankment Gardens / 16 August / The Breakfast Club (1985)
Lulworth Castle / 17 August / Labyrinth (1986)
Lulworth Castle / 18 August / Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Opera Holland Park / 17 August / Notting Hill (1999)
Opera Holland Park / 18 August / The Blues Brothers (1980)
Opera Holland Park / 19 August / Blade Runner (1982)
Opera Holland Park / 20 August / Moulin Rouge! (2001)
Dulwich Park / 19 August / The Breakfast Club (1985)
Dulwich Park / 20 August / Dirty Dancing (1987)
Dulwich Park / 21 August / Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre / 21 August / Top Gun (1986)
Victoria Tower Gardens / 23 August / Spectre (2015)
Victoria Tower Gardens / 24 August / The Matrix (1999)
Victoria Tower Gardens / 25 August / Dirty Dancing (1987)
Kew Gardens / 24 August / Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Kew Gardens / 25 August / Jurassic Park (1993)
Waddesdon Manor / 26 August / Romeo + Juliet (1996)
Waddesdon Manor / 27 August / Breakfast at Tiffany’s (1961)
Hatfield House / 26 August / Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Hatfield House / 27 August / Grease (1978)
Hatfield House / 28 August / Labyrinth (1986)
Sheffield Amphitheatre / 28 August / Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Sheffield Amphitheatre / 29 August / Grease (1978)
Battersea Park / 30 August / Mad Max Fury Road (2015)
Battersea Park / 31 August / Mean Girls (2004)
Battersea Park / 1 September / Romeo + Juliet (1996)
Alnwick Castle / 31 August / Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (2001)
Alnwick Castle / 1 September / Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
Hampton Court Palace / 2 September / Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
Hampton Court Palace / 3 September / Notting Hill (1999)
Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh / 2 September / Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh / 3 September / Romeo + Juliet (1996)
Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh / 4 September / Jurassic Park (1993)
One New Change / 4 September / The Big Short (2015)
Victoria Embankment Gardens / 6 September / 10 Things I Hate About You (1999)
Kew Gardens / 7 September / Mean Girls (2004)
Kew Gardens / 8 September / Labyrinth (1986)
Warwick Castle / 8 September / Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Warwick Castle / 9 September / Notting Hill (1999)
Tatton Park / 9 September / Top Gun (1986)
Tatton Park / 10 September / Dirty Dancing (1987)
Tatton Park / 11 September / Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)
Hylands House, Essex / 13 September / Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Hylands House, Essex / 14 September / Top Gun (1986)
Hylands House, Essex / 15 September / Dirty Dancing (1987)
Oystermouth Castle, Swansea / 14 September / Back To The Future (1985)
Oystermouth Castle, Swansea / 15 September / Grease (1978)
Blenheim Palace / 16 September / Spectre (2015)
Blenheim Palace / 17 September / Dirty Dancing (1987)
Blenheim Palace / 18 September / Back To The Future (1985)
Cardiff Castle / 16 September / Gladiator (2000)
Cardiff Castle / 17 September / Dirty Dancing (1987)
Cardiff Castle / 18 September / Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Fulham Palace / 20 September / Notting Hill (1999)
Fulham Palace / 21 September / Top Gun (1986)
Hall Place, Bexley / 21 September / Love Actually (2003)
Victoria Embankment Gardens / 20 September / Anchorman (2004)
Brockwell Lido / 22 September / Titanic (1997)
Rochester Castle / 22 September / The Goonies (1985)
Rochester Castle / 23 September / Romeo + Juliet (1996)
Rochester Castle / 24 September / Monty Python’s Life of Brian (1979)
One New Change / 25 September / Die Hard (1988)
Lincoln Castle / 23 September / Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
Lincoln Castle / 24 September / Grease (1978)
Lincoln Castle / 25 September / Rocky Horror Picture Show (1975)