LONDON -- The trailer for London Has Fallen -- which stars Gerard Butler as a U.S. Secret Service agent attempting to stop terrorists from attacking Britain's capital -- has been criticised by some for its "insensitive timing".
The trailer was released by Lionsgate UK on Wednesday – just a few days after a terrorist attack in Tunisia killed 30 British tourists and a week before the tenth anniversary of the 7/7 bombings in which 52 people died.
Philip Nelson, the Chair of The Tavistock Square Memorial Trust, which was set up in memory of those killed on the number 30 bus in Tavistock Square during the 7/7 bombings, told the Mirror that he thinks the images used to promote the film – such as the film poster showing an exploding Big Ben clock face – are the wrong ones to portray.
"This is not the first time that Hollywood has been insensitive," he said. "If the story is about terrorism then this is extremely insensitive. People have also recently died of a terrorist attack in Tunisia."
People on Twitter also questioned the timing of the release:
@LionsgateUK You may want to consider that it's nearly the 10th anni of the 7/7 bombings in London before you promote this...— devillefilm (@devillefilm) July 1, 2015
@LionsgateUK @GerardButler Don't you think in the week of the 10th anni of 7/7 London booming you timed the release wrong?— Arif Mahmood (@arifmahmood_) July 1, 2015
I think maybe a week off the 10th anniversary of 7/7 may not be the time to release the London Has Fallen trailer..— Chris Perkins (@misterchristor) July 1, 2015
30 British dead in Tunisia. 10th Anniversary of 7/7 next week. Today: trailer for #LondonHasFallen released. What bloody idiotic timing— Guy Lambert (@SohoGuy) July 1, 2015
Mashable has reached out to Lionsgate UK for a comment, and we will update this article if we receive one.