This one has been getting run over by the Information Superhighway for a day or two now, but I could not let the tasty schadenfreude disappear into the ether. In an effort to promote Iron Man 3, which clearly does not need additional promotion, managers at Goodrich Capital 8 Theatres in Jefferson City, invited actors who "appeared at the theater in the Missouri state capital during the weekend opening of Iron Man 3 dressed as officers and one as Iron Man." Another actor was dressed in "all-dark clothes" and carrying "what appeared to be a modified M-4 and 9 mm on his side."

Officers thought they were responding to a real shooter when they received multiple 911 calls. Later the theater would issue an apology:

We apologize and are sympathetic to those who felt they were in harm’s way with our character promotion for Iron Man 3. This was not a publicity stunt. We have worked with the Cosplacon group on many movies to dress up and help entertain our customers. We have had many complaints about the members dressed specifically as S.H.I.E.L.D. operatives carrying fake guns. We didn’t clearly tell our customers and some people didn’t realize it was for entertainment purposes only. We apologize that police were called to come out to our theater. We have a wonderful working relationship with the Jefferson City Police Department. Going forward we will take the necessary steps to make sure this doesn’t happen again. Security and safety for our customers is our number one priority.

Good job, everybody!