The quake measuring 4.5 on the Richter scale hit Wellington about an hour into the film and at first it was difficult to tell what was happening.

The theatre was already filled with the sound of the roaring of the sea and scraping metal as onscreen a ship belonging to the eventual capturers of King Kong was smashed against the rocks of the sinister Skull Island.

However it soon became clear that the technical wizardry of the maker of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy did not extend to shaking the seats and walls.

But the show must go on. The tremors stopped after a few seconds and after some nervous laughter, the audience stayed planted in their seats as the three-hour screening continued uninterrupted.

The quake struck at 9.09 pm (0809 GMT) and was centred about 25 kilometres (16 miles) northeast of Wellington. There were no reports of serious damage.

After a series of premieres around the world beginning with New York on December 5, Jackson has returned home to Wellington for the New Zealand premiere in the city where he made the 207 million US dollar film.

Tens of thousands of people are expected to watch the film's director and stars, including Naomi Watts and Adrien Brody, walk down a two-block-long red carpet to the theatre for Thursday's premiere.

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