State Of Play: March 2021

Hope everyone is doing as well as you can be, given current circumstances, and keeping yourselves occupied. 

There are a few reasons to be cautiously optimistic, that there's light at the end of the tunnel (and it's not just an Intercity 125 coming to knock seven bells out of us again!) 

This week saw some big film news, so I figured time to do an update!

I'll be honest, I wasn't massively surprised by this week's news that Black Widow was a) being moved again (from May 7 to July 9), and b) being made available via Disney+ Premier on the same day. 

The situation is still, to put it mildly, changeable. Cinemas in New York and Los Angeles are starting to reopen; UK-based cinema chain Cineworld (who also own Regal Cinemas in the US) have announced they will start to reopen Regal locations in early April. 

In the UK, cinemas in England and Scotland (at least) are working to the assumption that they will be able to reopen for business from May 17th, if COVID-19 is still being controlled at a reasonable level. That said, cinemas will still need to operate at reduced capacity (at least initially) and with social distancing protocols in place. In the numbers game, it's not going to be worth Marvel's time to put it out until the situation is a bit more stable. 

Unsurprisingly, this has had a knock-on effect to some of the other Marvel movies that are due to be released this year.

Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings will now be released (it is assumed theatrically only) on September 3; there's no news at present whether Eternals or Spider-Man: No Way Home (due in November and December respectively) will be affected. 

A couple of random bits of MCU news: in December, when Christian Bale's casting in Thor: Love And Thunder was announced (Bale will be playing Gorr The God Butcher), a new release date was also given: May 6, 2022. This will now put the Thor fourquel (Thorquel?) after Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness, which had its own date changed to March 25 2022.

But whilst Black Widow gets bumped, there's no such plans to change the date of Cruella (the live-action "prequel" to 101 Dalmatians, starring Emma Stone and Emma Thompson). Like Mulan and Raya And The Last Dragon, Cruella will be getting a cinema release (where possible) and will also be available on Disney+ Premier on the same day. This is Memorial Day weekend in the US, and a usually lucrative time for cinemas. 

As they did with Soul, Disney have also announced that Pixar's next movie Luca (a coming-of-age drama involving sea monsters in disguise, with the voices of Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan Glazer, and Maya Rudolph) will be available on Disney+ (at no additional charge) from June 18th. Where Disney+ is not available, they are looking at potential cinema releases in those territories. 

Other Disney properties shifted around include Ryan Reynolds' Free Guy (now August 13), The King's Man (December 22), Ben Affleck starrer Deep Water (January 14 2022), and star-studded Agatha Christie adaptation Death On The Nile (February 11 2022)

For fans of horror and thrillers, you'll get to see at least two anticipated flicks a little sooner than expected. Paramount have moved A Quiet Place Part II to the aforementioned Memorial Day weekend, whilst Lionsgate have shifted Spiral: From The Book Of Saw (the ninth- NINTH!- Saw film) forward a week to May 14. Chris Rock, Max Minghella, and Samuel L. Jackson will be playing a game very soon...

On the subject of ninth films in franchises, Universal have decided to move F9 back a month, so it will now premiere on June 25. This set up a clash between Vin Diesel and Tom Hardy, with Sony's Venom sequel due to drop on the same day. Realising they were sunk, Sony have moved Venom: Let There Be Carnage to September.

Universal weren't quite so kind to Minions: The Rise Of Gru, on the other hand; originally due to release on July 3 2020, it first got shunted to July 2 2021 and has now been shunted back another year, to July 1 2022.

Here are some of the current release dates at the moment, correct as of 26th March 2021. This only includes movies whose dates have changed since the last State of Play update (in January). 

2021

May 14     Spiral: From The Book Of Saw

May 28     Cruella (cinema and Disney+ Premier Access)

May 28     A Quiet Place Part II

June 18     Luca (Disney+ exclusive)

June 25     F9

July 9     Black Widow (cinema and Disney+ Premier Access)

July 9     The Forever Purge

August 13     Free Guy

September 3     Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings

September 17     Venom: Let There Be Carnage

December 22     The King's Man

2022

January 14     Deep Water

February 11     Death On The Nile

March 25     Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness

May 6     Thor: Love And Thunder

July 1     Minions: The Rise Of Gru

If/when (let's be honest, I think it'll be when) things change, we'll let you know. 

As Jerry Springer used to say: "Take care of yourselves and each other." 

State Of Play: October 2020

Hello everyone, 

We hope this finds you well and that you're keeping safe and sound.

There's been a lot, LOT, of movement in the last few weeks regarding movie release schedules, so we figured it was time to do a bit of a round-up on where things stand at the moment. 

As with a lot of things in the current COVID-19 pandemic, things can change in a heartbeat so this is as we know it today (Sunday 4th October). This is, of course, always subject to change. 

Disney were the first to start rearranging their winter roster, moving Black Widow to May 2021 (which has a knock-on effect for at least two other MCU movies; see below) and postponing Steven Spielberg's new version of West Side Story (starring Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler as the star-cross'd Tony and Maria) until December 2021. 

At the moment, Disney still plan to release Pixar's next movie Soul and the latest star-studded Agatha Christie adaptation Death On The Nile in cinemas this year (Soul at Thanksgiving weekend, and Death On The Nile a week before Christmas). None of the films were moved to Disney+ (as Mulan had), although the situation remains very much in flux at the moment. Given recent news reports, and the likelihood that Cineworld will close cinemas in the U.S. and the U.K. and Ireland shortly, I would be immensely surprised if these films see cinema screens this year. 

If Death On The Nile does still get a cinema release on December 18, it will be going up against Warner Bros.' new version of Frank Herbert's Dune (directed by Denis Villeneuve, and starring Timothée Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, and Zendaya), which is still scheduled for this date. Wonder Woman 1984 had another date change, as the film will now be opening on Christmas Day instead. (Movie-going on Christmas Day is apparently a thing in America, so will probably open Boxing Day in the UK, if the release goes ahead) 

Director Patty Jenkins said "Because I know how important it is to bring this movie to you on a big screen when all of us can share the experience together, I’m hopeful you won’t mind waiting just a little bit longer. With the new date on Christmas Day, we can’t wait to spend the holidays with you."

In our June State of Play update, we mentioned Robert Zemeckis' new version of The Witches (starring Anne Hathaway, Octavia Spencer, and Stanley Tucci) being dropped from Warner Bros. cinema schedule in the US. Well, at the start of this month, it was announced that the film will make its debut on HBO Max on October 22 2020, with an international cinema release following a week later (where possible).

However on the same day as that, it was announced that No Time To Die, the 25th Bond film, was also going to be postponed until 2021. Originally set for release on November 12 in the UK and November 20 in the US, it's now set for April 2 2021 [almost a year after its initial release date]. In a statement on the official 007 site, the delay is "in order [for the film] to be seen by a worldwide theatrical audience. We understand the delay will be disappointing to our fans". 

As well as disappointing fans, it's no doubt disappointed cinema chains too: it has been one of the reasons mooted for Cineworld's decision to potentially shut down its cinemas. As a result of No Time To Die being shifted, F9 (Fast & Furious 9) has also moved in the schedule to the end of May 2021.

So that's where things stand at the moment. These are the current release dates for some of the films mentioned; obviously all of them are due to change if circumstances continue or change.

2020

November 20         Soul

December 18         Death On The Nile

December 25         WW84


2021

February 12         The King's Man

April 2         No Time To Die

May 7         Black Widow

May 28         F9

July 9         Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings

November 5         Eternals

December 10         West Side Story

Keep safe everyone. It certainly looks as if things are far from being over...

The Watchers Film Show: Lockdown Special 2

In the second of our Lockdown Specials, we discuss the current state of play with cinema and the amended release schedule for several of the big movies that were due to be released over the coming months. 

This information was accurate at the time we recorded the Special, however, because the circumstances we are in are constantly shifting, they may have already changed again!

So, if you want to find out when to expect films such as No Time To Die, Black Widow and Fast & Furious 9, check out the video above!

Delayed Movie Releases - April 2020

We hope that you are all keeping well and are coping in this brave new world we find ourselves in. 

It's no understatement to say that the coronavirus outbreak has meant a fundamental shift in the way we are living our lives. As a result of this, the entertainment industries have found themselves in a position where planned releases and schedules have gone out the window in light of the very serious events happening around the world. 

Many productions- including Mission: Impossible 7, Jurassic World: Dominion, The Batman, The Matrix 4, and Fantastic Beasts 3- have halted in the wake of the pandemic, which may well affect their release dates in the future. 

Below is a partial list of some of the big films that have been completed and were due this year whose release has been delayed.

No Time To Die

The 25th Bond film- with Daniel Craig on his fifth appearance as 007, and a cracking theme song by Billie Eilish- was due to be released on April 2nd. It will now be released in November instead. 

A Quiet Place Part II

This horror sequel was due to hit theatres in March; it will now be released on September 4th. 

Fast And Furious 9

This is one of the longer delays, with the film- the ninth (ninth!) in the series, how mad is that? (I suppose it's technically 10th if you include Hobbs & Shaw... anyway...)- now due for release in April 2021 (instead of May 2020)

Mulan

The live-action Mulan, directed by Niki Caro and starring Yifei Liu in the lead role, was due for release on March 27th. It will now open on July 24th. 

The New Mutants

This film which, it's fair to say, has had something of a troubled journey to the screen was due on April 3rd. "Out of an abundance of caution", it has been delayed. But, unlike a lot of other films on this list, no new release date has been set as yet. 

Wonder Woman 1984

Only a delay of a few months for this DC film, with it set to be released on August 14th 2020 (instead of June 5th)

Minions: The Rise Of Gru

Another long delay here, with the release of the Illumination Entertainment's sequel pushed back a year to July 2nd 2021.

In The Heights

The movie adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda's stage musical was due for release on June 26th 2020 but (as with The New Mutants) no new date has been set as yet. 

Morbius

Yep, I'd kind of forgotten about this film, but it was due for release this summer. Now, Jared Leto's vampiric antihero will be hitting the screen in March 2021.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife

Joining Morbius in a slot next March is the Ghostbusters sequel, starring Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon, Finn Wolfhard, and a few familiar faces...

Top Gun: Maverick

When you've been waiting 35 years for a sequel, a few months is small change in comparison. Top Gun: Maverick will hit cinemas in December 2020 (rather than June)

Candyman

The horror remake or "spiritual sequel" (as its been called), produced by Jordan Peele, and starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Tony Todd will be released on September 25th 2020 (a few months later than originally planned)

Jungle Cruise

The Dwayne Johnson family adventure comedy also gets a long delay, now due on July 30th 2021 (a full year from its planned original release)

Indiana Jones 5

As part of Disney's massive overhaul of its release schedule, the fifth Indiana Jones movie has also been shifted: it's now slated for release on July 29th 2022. 

MCU Movies

I thought it best to leave these til last, as there's been something of a domino effect from the decision to move Black Widow from its May release. In fact, the entire release calendar for all of Phase 4 has been altered and now reads as follows:

Black Widow - November 6th 2020

The Eternals - February 12th 2021

Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings - May 7th 2021

Doctor Strange In The Multiverse Of Madness - November 5th 2021

Thor: Love And Thunder - February 18th 2022

Black Panther 2 - May 8th 2022

Captain Marvel 2 - July 8th 2022


Of course, this could all change tomorrow. Another slew of movies could be delayed, cancelled, or moved to a streaming service (such as Artemis Fowl now being released on Disney+ instead of getting a theatrical release). We simply don't know. These are uncharted waters. We'll try and keep on top of it.

In the meantime, take care of yourselves, keep safe, and raid the various streaming sites for an eclectic and exciting blend of movies which might help pass the time. 

Happy New Year from The Watchers!

Happy New Year!

It's a new dawn, it's a new day, it's a new year, and a new decade! 

Hopefully 2020 has got off to a good start for you all with minimal hangovers and much cheer, and you had a brilliant and enjoyable Christmas 

So what cinematic gems do we have to look forward to this year? Well, how about Bad Boys For Life, A Quiet Place: Part II, Birds of Prey (And The Fantabulous Emancipation Of One Harley Quinn), No Time To Die, Black Widow, Fast & Furious 9, Wonder Woman 1984, Top Gun: Maverick, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Morbius, Bill & Ted Face The Music, The King's Man, Tenet, Death On The Nile, Halloween Kills, Everybody's Talking About Jamie, The Eternals, Godzilla Vs. Kong, Raya And The Last Dragon, Coming 2 America, and In The Heights to name but a few?

Could be a very busy year for us! We'll be reviewing these and many more as the months pass by, so keep your eyes on the blog and your ears on the podcast. There'll be a veritable deluge of awards stuff coming in the next week or so, so be prepared for that. 

Our very best wishes for a happy and healthy 2020

The Watchers

(Rhys, Matt & Tez)