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For tonight only, Knoxville will be the center of the "Twilight" universe.

Fans will turn out by the hundreds for a Variety of Eastern Tennessee benefit screening of "The Twilight Saga: New Moon," set for tonight at Regal Cinemas' Pinnacle 18 at Turkey Creek. Stars Taylor Lautner and Kristen Stewart will attend the screening, the only official one set outside Los Angeles before Friday, the film's nationwide release date.

"It's going to be hectic," says Monica Bonacci, an 18-year-old Knoxville resident who is a fan of the books on which the movies are based. "People are going crazy over this for sure."

"New Moon" is the second chapter in the "Twilight" series, and the film follows the 2008 breakout first release, titled simply "Twilight."

Stewart and Lautner play hot teens Bella and Jacob in the supernatural romance. The stars are scheduled to arrive at the theater at 6:30 p.m., followed by a lobby presentation and then the screening.

The event is sold out. Only ticketholders will be allowed near the theater.

The benefit will raise close to $430,000, mainly through ticket sales. The figure represents the highest total a Knoxville Variety event has raised.

About 10 percent of that amount will be used to pay off the cost of the evening. The other 90 percent will go toward causes such as East Tennessee Children's Hospital, Second Harvest, Boy Scouts of the Smokies, Imagination Library and the American Heart Association.

Knoxville-based Regal Entertainment Group, the largest theater chain in the United States, has partnered with Variety to stage such charity screenings since 2003.

For "Twilight" fans, this is truly a hallmark moment. The only other official screening of the film was held in Hollywood on Monday and was not particularly fan friendly.

"Extra security is being added - for obvious reasons," said Dena Pinsker, executive director of Variety of Eastern Tennessee.

"An outreach of fans" - hundreds of them, mainly preteen and teen girls - will converge at the theater today, but none of them can actually get on the grounds of the theater until 5:30 p.m.

The Knox County Sheriff's Department will be on hand to handle crowd control. Around 100 people will be working behind the scenes just to stage the event.

Stewart and Lautner will arrive at McGhee Tyson Airport today, go to the theater, walk the red carpet, make a few remarks in front of 800 or so ticketholders and then leave. The stars will not sit in on the actual screening or spend the night in Knoxville.

Even fans who paid $100 for a ticket will have limited access to the stars. No plans are set up for fans to get autographs or photos with the two celebrities.

"With 800 people in the lobby, the (stars) could not possibly meet and greet or sign autographs with everybody," Pinsker said. "That would be physically challenging."

Terry Morrow may be reached at 865-342-6445.

© 2009, Knoxville News Sentinel
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