Uncertainty continues to grip the film and entertainment industry as the global coronavirus pandemic to rage around the world. The pandemic has resulted in the shuffling around of a number of blockbusters, with the latest being The Batman.
CNN reports that The Batman, along with a number of superhero films produced by Warner Bros., will all be shuffled around on the calendar as movie audiences continue to avoid theatres. Originally set to debut on Oct. 1, 2021, The Batman will now premiere on March 4, 2022.
Three other superhero films have also been rescheduled. Shazam! 2, which was going to be released on Nov. 4, 2022, will now premiere on June 2, 2023, instead. The Flash has now been moved five months to Nov. 4, 2022, instead of its original premiere date of June 3, 2022. Finally, Black Adam will no longer premiere on Dec. 22, 2021. No new premiere date has been announced for the movie.
But it is not just the superhero slate that is being moved. The Hollywood Reporter says that the film adaptation of the videogame Minecraft will also not premiere on March 4, 2022, as originally planned. No new date for the movie has been announced.
Dune, the highly anticipated film adaptation of the famous Frank Herbet novel, has also been moved. Rather than premiering on its original Dec. 18, 2020 date, it will now launch on Oct. 1, 2021, instead.
The publication also notes that it is not just Warner Bros. shuffling around their film releases. Sony, probably to take advantage of the lack of tentpoles, has moved its movie The Kid Detective and will now have it premiere next week, Oct. 16. Monster Hunter has also been moved up and will now premiere on Dec. 30, 2020.
Of course, all of this shuffling was probably prompted by the continued underperformance of Tenet in the United States box office. Previously hailed as a potential savior of the American box office, the Christopher Nolan film has proved to be anything but that.
During its latest weekend, Tenet was almost matched in earnings by Hocus Pocus, a 1993 comedy starring Bette Midler that was re-released to coincide with Halloween. Despite playing in fewer theatres, Hocus Pocus was able to earn $1.9 million compared to Tenet’s $2.7 million.
Tenet’s underwhelming box office returns have already resulted in Wonder Woman 1984 being moved to Christmas Day. Disney’s Black Widow has been moved to May 7, 2021, from its original Nov. 6 release date. The latest James Bond film, No Time to Die, as well as films like Candyman and The Kings Man, have also moved their release dates.