Glitch at Fresno theater delays opening-night screen of ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’

Editor’s note: Updated with new information. The original story said the screening was canceled.

A technical problem at a Fresno theater Thursday night led to a long delay for a debut screening of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” But the time the show began, several patrons had accepted replacement tickets and left.

The opening-night screening at UA Broadway Faire Stadium 10 was scheduled to start at 7 p.m. Instead, the screen in the packed theater showed only previews in which the colors seemed off, patron Cami Carrillo said.

Carrillo said she had waited in line all day to guarantee a good seat.

Excitement turned to disappointment when the previews began and the screen was “pink and green colored,” Carrillo said. “We thought it was a joke or something, like it was part of the show, but it just wouldn’t change.”

After an hour of trying to get the movie started, the employees apologized and handed out replacement tickets, which Carrillo accepted.

“I camped out all day for my fiancé,” Carrillo said. “He was working – and he’s the ‘Star Wars’ fan. He was devastated.”

An employee who answered the phone at the theater on West Shaw Avenue on Thursday night said she and other employees were not allowed to comment.

Management of the local theater complex refused to answer questions regarding the screening problems. They referred all questions to the Knoxville-based Regal Entertainment Group, owners of the theater.

Repeated attempts to get a comment from the company proved fruitless.

This story was originally published December 17, 2015 at 10:41 PM with the headline "Glitch at Fresno theater delays opening-night screen of ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’."