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AFTER a campaign given prominence by The National, cinema chain Cineworld backed down yesterday and decided to show the new film Robert the Bruce in five of its seven complexes across Scotland.

Their U-turn followed a huge backlash from Scottish film fans with more than 1300 people pledging online never to visit a Cineworld screen again after the world’s second largest cinema chain confirmed that they would not show the film starring Angus Macfadyen, who also co-wrote the film, in the title role.

Although no dates or times for showing the film have been finalised, the movie’s distributors Signature Entertainment confirmed to The National that Cineworld will have Robert The Bruce in five of its complexes at Glasgow Silverburn, Falkirk, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen Queen’s Link.

Macfadyen himself protested vehemently at Cineworld’s original decision and he was backed yesterday by Oscar-winning actor Tim Robbins of Shawshank Redemption fame. SNP politicians Willie Coffey MSP and MP Carol Monaghan joined in, with former First Minister Alex Salmond, a keen student of Scottish history, also calling for Cineworld to change its minds.

The campaign showed the power of social media – a tweet on the subject by leading campaigner the “Black Saltire” was viewed by almost 300,000 people, while a petition on change.org gathered huge support,

Petition organiser Martin Keatings set a target of 5000 signatures and that number was reached last night, less than two days after it was started.

The petition read: “We the undersigned do hereby formally request the showing of the new Robert the Bruce movie across Scotland and would support it being shown in your cinemas.

“However, as any director knows, the choice on whether or not to continue to give custom to a particular company is at the behest of the customer and their impression of the company should they not cater for an audience demographic to which they prescribe.”

Keatings commented: “This petition has featured in The National. Which explains the 650 signatures in less than two hours. “

He added: “That’s a lot of money not being spent on popcorn at Cineworld.”

Robert the Bruce is already showing in Odeon cinemas at Edinburgh West, Kilmarnock, East Kilbride, Dunfermline, Braehead, Glasgow Quay and Ayr.

Showcase Paisley and Glasgow, the Macrobert Arts Centre in Stirling, Empire Clydebank, Vue Hamilton, Vue Edinburgh Omni and the New Picture House, St Andrews, are showing it.

Waterfront Cinema, Greenock, will show it from July 5, while Newton Stewart Cinema will show it on July 12 and 13.

Birks Aberfeldy, the Pavilion, Galashiels, and the Bideford Film Society will also show it later this month, while Eden Court Cinema in Inverness and the Hippodrome in Bo’ness will screen in next month. There are even English cinemas ready to show it – the Maltings in Berwick-upon-Tweed and The Forum in Northallerton will also show it in August.

One source said: “Undoubtedly the pressure from Scotland to have the film on Cineworld screens and the bad publicity they were getting is what is behind their change of heart.”

All I've got Trev is that they said they had reasons but wouldn't tell anyone. I know when Braveheart came out there were complaints in Parliament about having a film where Scots kill English.