EAST AURORA, N.Y. — Thursday night was the long-awaited premiere of a Quiet Place Part II.
Many scenes in the movie were shot here in Western New York. At the Aurora Theatre in East Aurora, several local cast members, or "movie extras," got to watch the film for the first time.
After a 14-month delay due to the COVID pandemic, the people we spoke to said the movie was worth the wait.
The showing also brought a sense of normalcy, as people filled in the seats of the theater.
“It’s been a really long time since we’ve had this kind of crowd. It’s been well over a year, probably going back to Christmas of 2019, that we’ve had a crowd this size,” said Lynn Kinsella, the owner of the Aurora Theatre.
Kinsella added she was excited to show the movie, not only because of the film itself but also because of what the night represents.
“This is our big weekend. It’s called 'The Big Screen is Back,' because it’s really the only place people can get that experience of what people that are making the movies want you to have. Seeing it on a large screen, in a dark room, with a lot of people and getting their reaction ... so it’s just a very special experience, and we hope that people are all going to come back to see the movies in the next couple months," Kinsella said.
Local cast members among the crowd told 2 On Your Side about their experience, including David O'Donnell of Clarence, who wore what we wore on set to the premiere.
“I signed up back in July. It was almost two years ago. We were background, basically, so we would run down the street, and they would put us in different positions to coincide with the movie, what they needed," O'Donnell said.
Tammi Meidenbauer, who was also an extra in the film, organized the event, with a mini-red carpet for cast members.
“It’s pretty cool just to be able to watch and to see the local landmarks, and to be able to pick out your friends that were in the film," Meidenbauer said.
Familiar sites you'll notice include in the film the Grand Island bridges and Main Street in Akron.
Early Thursday night, Kinsella told 2 on Your Side the show was close to being a sellout, which is big milestone right now.
If you missed the premiere, you'll still be able to catch the movie at theaters across Western New York.