Django Unchained premiere cancelled following school shootings

The Los Angeles premiere of Quentin Tarantino's new film 'Django Unchained' has been cancelled in the wake of the school shootings in Newtown, Connecticut.

The star-studded event was set to take place tonight (December 18), but there will now be a private screening of the film instead.

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“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the tragedy in Newtown, CT, and in this time of national mourning we have decided to forgo our scheduled event,” read a statement from The Weinstein Company.

Though reportedly a violent film, it's not thought that the specific violence featured has any relation to the shootings in Connecticut.

It follows the similar postponement of Tom Cruise's 'Jack Reacher' premiere screening in Pittsburgh, and the cancellation of a red carpet event for Fox's Billy Crystal comedy 'Parental Guidance'.

Paramount said that it was postponing the 'Jack Reacher' premiere', which features sniper killings in the opening scenes, 'out of honour and respect for the families of the victims whose lives were senselessly taken'.

TV networks have also altered their schedules to avoid violent content being shown, including the mid-season finale of 'Scandal' being pulled from ABC.com because of its violent scenes, and TLC shifting 'Best Funeral Ever' until after the New Year.

The shooting spree at Sandy Hook Elementary School claimed the lives of 28 people, including 20 children and the gunman Adam Lanza's mother.