Studio sources are suggesting that a wider block of blockbuster films than you might suspect are about to be shunted to later this year.
Whilst it’s probably no surprise to hear studio executives and industry analysts predict more delays for tentpole movie releases as we move deeper into 2021, the amount of films tipped to be moved into the latter half of the year may make your eyebrows raise a smidgeon.
The Hollywood Reporter is claiming that industry sources are predicting that almost all of the tentpole slate between now and July could shift, with one unnamed veteran studio executive stating “I think everything substantive between now and Top Gun: Maverick in early July will move. It’s a mess.”
The report talks about No Time To Die's decision to delay again being an inevitability at this point, with the only real question being how late a point in 2021 the film could migrate towards. As it stands, the only blockbusters that are expected to potentially hold their theatrical dates are those of Warner Bros, as it has committed to a dual release policy alongside its US streaming platform, HBO Max. To this end, Warner Bros actually moved the theatrical release of the upcoming Godzilla Vs Kong forwards, from May to March.
The article also quotes Paul Degarabedian of US media analysis company Comscore, who observes “lest anyone thought that the transition from 2020 into 2021 would magically fix the issues that perplexed the industry for the past almost 12 months, the reality is that the many of the very same market forces are still in play and will continue to inform the strategic decisions of studios and creatives alike. That said, there is hope for a recovery for the theatrical movie biz on the horizon, but of course that future is in constant flux”.
Major tentpole releases that would be affected, should this prediction be accurate, would encompass Fast & Furious 9, A Quiet Place Part II, Black Widow, Minions and the aforementioned Top Gun: Maverick. With the first wave of these movie presently set to hit in early April, we’d expect news of delays to arrive soon, following the recent announcements delaying films such as Morbius and The Many Saints Of Newark.
Whatever happens, we’ll let you know of updated release plans as we hear them.
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