'Sex and the City' mania hits London

LONDON, England (CNN) -- It is one of the most hotly anticipated movies of the year and after years of feverish speculation, Sex and the City the movie, premieres in London Monday night.

The film has been dogged by controversy in the four-year lead up from small to big screen-- rumors abounded about squabbling over pay, editorial control and even outfits, among cast members Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Catrall, who plays maneater Samantha.

There have also been protests that the film will open in London. Not surprisingly, American fans believe its spiritual home is in New York and that it should be seen there first.

It will not be shown in New York until May 27.

Such is the secrecy surrounding the plot of the film that the four actresses -- Sarah Jessica Parker, Cynthia Nixon, Kim Cattrall and Kristin Davis -- will give a speech before the curtain goes up Monday asking the audience, not to disclose the plot, London's Daily Telegraph reports.

But the two week gap between premiere and nationwide release dates is not deterring London fashionistas eager to see their icon Carrie Bradshaw on the big screen.

Facebook groups have already sprung up planning Sex and the City viewing parties, where members are being urged to don their best gladrags and head to a local theater come May 28. Watch report on Sex and the City in London »

A Cosmopolitan or two will no doubt be consumed en route.

It's been a full decade since "Sex and the City" premiered on HBO, bringing us sex columnist Carrie, her three gal pals, and their lustful urban quest for love, good sex and even better clothes.

The film finds friends Carrie (Parker), Samantha, (Cattrall), Charlotte (Davis) and Miranda (Nixon) continuing to juggle work and relationships, while navigating motherhood.

One thing the cast have acknowledged is that, four years on, they are older and wiser and lurid conversations about sex would hardly be appropriate.

In one of the scenes Carrie and on-off lover, Big, are shown in bed. However, it's hardly a passionate interlude. They are reading and they both need glasses, and there's only one pair.

It seems inconceivable that Big and Carrie, who locked in passionate embraces during the TV series, are now like a middle-aged couple sharing reading glasses in bed.

But Sarah Jessica Parker, who also co-produced the film, says this is a natural evolution for the film.

"When we started cobbling together the movie, we knew there was only one road we could take," she said in an interview with The Associated Press.

"You cannot pretend we're 32, still running around New York drinking with liberty and looking for interesting sexual partnerships. It would have been vulgar. None of us wanted to do that."

It remains to be seen whether middle-aged passion (or lack of it) will be enough to excite fans.

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