It has been an assumption for a long time now, as just about every Marvel film in recent memory has had a 7:00 pm showing the day before the release date of the film instead of the midnight showing. One of Peter’s readers over at /FILM sort of got a confirmation:

/Film reader Jerry S was able to confirm with Sacramento’s Esquire IMAX theatre that the first screenings for Star Wars: The Force Awakens will take place at 7:00pm on the day before the posted release date:

It is nice to see it put out there that the 7:00 pm screenings will be happening. It was an assumption based on previous huge films from Disney this would be the case and now we have a little more reason to believe it will be occurring.

I’m really glad. I’m a night owl, but I always hate going to the movies with friends that don’t have a good time, especially when I do. My older friends are in bed way before midnight and it seems like every midnight screening we do they are miserable and I’m elated by the experience, only to be bummed out later to learn they struggled to stay awake (or even worse to hear them yawning during the film itself). The 7:00 pm screening ensures that Star Wars enthusiasts will enjoy the first screening in this next trilogy.