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CINEMA bosses across Sussex are being forced to come to terms with the dark side of Star Wars fans.

The first of a new trilogy of Star Wars films is due out in July but many fans can't wait.

Staff at Brighton's Odeon cinema say a huge banner advertising the film was stolen despite being hung 12ft above the foyer.

Amazed

Manager Alan Mason said: "We hung it well up to stop this kind of thing happening so we were amazed to discover it gone.

"All I can think is that they must have climbed on someone's shoulders and ripped it down."

The 8ft banner shows a young Anakin Skywalker standing ina desert scene casting a shadow of the evil Darth Vader, who cinemagoers will see him turn into.

Mr Mason said a similar poster was reportedly sold by a collector last week for £375.

The Odeon boss now has to explain to distributors at Fox why he cannot return the banner.

The new film, entitled The Phantom Menace, is the first since Return of the Jedi 15 years ago and is set before the original record-breaking trilogy.

A spokesman from Virgin Cinema at Brighton Marina Village said: "We've already had people wanting to book tickets.

"It's going to be massive."

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