'Wolverine' premieres in Arizona

TEMPE , Ariz., April 28 (UPI) -- The world premiere of the eagerly awaited superhero flick "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" was held Monday night in Tempe, Arizona.

Fans from the city won the right to host the world premiere via an online poll sponsored by Twentieth Century Fox.

The Arizona Republic said thousands of people showed up at the Harkins Tempe Marketplace theater for the event, which featured appearances by the film's stars -- Hugh Jackman, Ryan Reynolds and Liev Schreiber.

The movie was shown on all 16 of the multiplex's screens to thousands of people. Many camped out the night before in hopes of catching a glimpse of a star or snagging a ticket. About 800 were treated to coffee and pastries by Jackman the morning of the premiere, the newspaper said.

"I waited three years for this moment, and now the world premiere is here in Arizona," Jackman said shortly before the movie was unveiled. "I'm proud to be here with the cast ... and show it to you first."

"It's not a Hollywood premiere, it's the real kind of premiere," The Republic quoted Reynolds as saying. "This is incredible. This is ... how they should do it from now on."

"We do these things in New York, and we do them in Los Angeles, and they're routine," Schreiber added. "But to ... meet people who spent the night to get a ticket to see a movie you're in, it changes your perspective."