Nelson's Column Is Go!

Thunderbirds is set to make a packet at the box office, but the filmmakers were not ready to sit back and wait for the money to roll in.

In fact they brought Thunderbirds to Trafalgar Square, in the form of a rather large rocket.

And as publicity stunts go, this one takes some beating.

Instead of settling for a premiere with the cast and some C-list celebs, the people behind the movie brought one of the real stars of the film to London.

Thunderbird 3, the bright red spaceship, was given a launch pad right next to Nelson's Column, complete with special-effect smoke and a number of unimpressed pigeons.

The film pits Ben Kingsley's evil Hood against the wits of the International Rescue team, which includes Bill Paxton as Jeff Tracy.

Anthony Edwards, of ER and Top Gun fame, stars as Brains, while Sophia Myles rides in the pink car as Lady Penelope.

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