All the Hollywood Premieres and Events Canceled Due to L.A. Fires: AFI Awards, BAFTA Tea and More

A slew of Los Angeles area premieres have been canceled amid devastating fires in southern California.

Amazon MGM Studios and Universal Studios scrapped their planned Tuesday night premieres of “Unstoppable” and “Wolf Man.” Meanwhile, Paramount and Max canceled their Wednesday “Better Man” and “The Pitt” premieres.

“Due to the dangerous conditions affecting Los Angeles we are canceling tomorrow’s premiere of ‘Better Man,'” a Paramount spokesperson said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with those impacted by the devastating fires resulting from these conditions, and we encourage everyone to stay safe and follow guidance and orders from local officials and government agencies.”

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HBO and Max echoed a similar sentiment in a statement reading, “Out of an abundance of caution due to the ongoing Palisades Fire and continued wind advisories through tomorrow, we are canceling Wednesday’s premiere event for ‘The Pitt.’ The safety and well-being of our attendees, staff, and community are our top priority. We are grateful for the first responders bravely working to protect our community, and our thoughts are with those affected. Stay safe!”

“Unstoppable,” the biographical wrestling drama about Anthony Robles starring Jharrel Jerome and Jennifer Lopez, had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival but was set to have a red carpet and screening Tuesday at the DGA in West Hollywood. Arrivals were to begin at about 5:30 before ending in time for a 7 p.m. screening. Jerome and Lopez were expected to attend as were cast members Don Cheadle, Michael Peña, Mykelti Williamson and director William Goldenberg. Robles and his mom Judy Robles were attending, too.

“In light of today’s safety concerns around heightened wind activity and fire outbreaks in Los Angeles, we regret to inform you that we are canceling tonight’s premiere of ‘Unstoppable,'” the studio said in a statement Tuesday afternoon. “As much as we were looking forward to celebrating this wonderful and inspiring film with you, safety is our first priority. We encourage everyone to watch ‘Unstoppable’ on Prime Video, which will be available globally on January 16. Thank you for your understanding and please stay safe.”

“Unfortunately, tonight’s premiere of ‘Wolf Man’ is canceled due to sensitivities around the worsening weather situation in LA and related evacuations,” a Universal rep said in an email to premiere attendees for the horror film starring Christopher Abbott and Julia Garner.

Netflix also canceled a planned evening event in Hollywood celebrating the music of “Emilia Perez” with star Karla Sofía Gascón and songwriters/composers Camille & Clément.

“The Last Showgirl” premiere from Roadside Attractions scheduled for Jan. 9 at the Chinese Theatre Multiplex in Hollywood has been canceled. Stars Pamela Anderson, Kiernan Shipka, Brenda Song and Billie Lourd were to attend as were director Gia Coppola, writer Kate Gersten, producer Robert Schwartzman and musicians Miley Cyrus, Andrew Wyatt and Lykke Li. “In light of the devastation in LA County, and out of an abundance of caution for everyone involved, the Los Angeles premiere for Roadside Attractions’ ‘The Last Showgirl has been canceled,” the studio said in a statement released Wednesday morning, adding, “We are thankful to all first responders and our thoughts are with the people being affected.”

A screening and dinner for “A Complete Unknown” hosted by Coach at the San Vicente Bungalows for Jan. 9 has been postponed. An opening night reception for a “Dune” photo exhibit scheduled that same night at the Leica Gallery LA has also been postponed. “Dune: Exposures” is a collaboration between Greig Fraser and Josh Brolin.

American Cinematheque Tribute to the Crafts set for Jan. 9 has been postponed to a later date. A statement released by the organization said, “We have made the decision to postpone tomorrow’s (January 9th) Tribute to the Crafts at the Egyptian due to the dangerous ongoing fires and wind conditions. We will update you on a new date as soon as we know.”

Also, a morning activation event from Meta Quest with an appearance by Jane Fonda promoting her new VR fitness series in West Hollywood on Jan. 9 has been canceled. “Due to the ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles, we have canceled tomorrow’s activation,” reps said in a statement Wednesday. “This decision was made out of an abundance of caution, as the safety and well-being of our attendees, staff, and community are our utmost priority.”

The annual starry AFI Awards luncheon on Jan. 10 is being rescheduled. “Given the tragedies that prevail in Los Angeles, the spirit of community we strive for at AFI AWARDS will be unachievable on Friday – and so we will be postponing the event,” AFI said in a statement Wednesday.

The annual BAFTA Tea Party set for Jan. 11 at the Four Seasons Hotel at Beverly Hills will no longer take place. In a statement, BAFTA North America said, “We regret to inform you that due to the wildfires currently affecting Los Angeles and the wider region, we’ve made the difficult decision to cancel this weekend’s BAFTA Tea Party. Our primary concern is for the safety and well-being of all those involved, and we hope that you and your loved ones are safe during this challenging time. We want to express our deep admiration and gratitude for the tireless efforts of the fire and rescue services who are working around the clock to protect lives and property. We understand the far-reaching impact of this crisis on many individuals and families, and our hearts go out to everyone affected by the ongoing situation. Please take care and stay safe.”

AARP’s Movies for Grownups Awards was originally scheduled to take place Jan. 11 in Beverly Hills but is being moved to a later date.

A special sing-along screening for “Wicked” hosted at Universal Studios Backlot by the film’s composer John Powell, and featuring an audience of background vocalists and behind the camera talent from the film, has also been canceled, with hopes to reschedule during better conditions.  

As of Tuesday evening, Santa Monica residents who live north of San Vicente Boulevard are under an immediate evacuation order, according to the Santa Monica Police. Also on Tuesday evening, a fire broke out in the Eaton Canyon area of Altadena, north of Pasadena.

The blaze in the coastal neighborhood is estimated to have burned more than 1200 acres centering on Palisades Highlands, with evacuation warnings for all of Pacific Palisades including Sunset Mesa, Palisades Highlands and Rustic Canyon. Palisades Drive is closed from Pacific Coast Highway up into the Palisades Highlands neighborhood, and ABC7 reported that the Palisades Highlands Plaza shopping center was partially burned. Residents left hundreds of cars along Palisades Drive and walked down to Sunset Boulevard.

“HEADS UP!!! A LIFE-THREATENING, DESTRUCTIVE, Widespread Windstorm is expected Tue afternoon-Weds morning across much of Ventura/LA Co. Areas not typically windy will be impacted,” The NWS Los Angeles shared on X. “Stay indoors, away from windows, expect power outages.”

The extreme winds prompted President Biden to cancel his scheduled Tuesday trip to the Eastern Coachella Valley, where he was to announce two new national monuments honoring Native American tribes.

Actor James Woods shared a series of photos and videos on X from the affected area as he evacuated, writing, “We were blessed to have LA fire and police depts doing their jobs so well. We are safe and out. There are several elementary schools in our neighborhood and there was an enormous community effort to evacuate the children safely. Can not speak more highly of the LA fire and LAPD.”