United Artists have decided to push Bryan Singer’s Tom Cruise starrer Valkyrie back from it’s planned summer release.
The film, which is based on actual events, and follows a plot to assassinate Adolph Hitler, was originally scheduled to hit theaters on June 27th of next year, up against Pixar’s WALL-E, the comic book adaptation of Wanted, and Larry Charles Borat follow-up Religulous. In fact, the other day when Lionsgate announced that the Bill Maher documentary was earmarked for the last weekend in June, I commented on the overcrowding.
Valkyrie will now hit theaters three months later, on October 3rd, up against Spike Jonze’s Where The Wild Things Are, and the big screen adaptation of Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist. So why was the film moved back? It can’t be a good sign can it? Does the film need more work? Or does United Artists think a fall release will help their chance at Oscar gold?
December 15th, 2007 at 3:15 am
I don’t think it’s a bad sign necessarily. This flick is definitely not summer material and it’s not very cool to play up Nazis and the Holocaust as a blockbuster action piece that can go up against Iron Man and Indy and Batman and Speedracer.
Of course, there’s always the idea of counter-programming, but I think this film needs a winter release for sure. Cruise will face too much news-media heat if this opens to only $20 mill in the summer, just like he did with M: I 3. And it doesn’t look like a huge hit based on the trailer and marketing thus far.
Anyway, now that Will Smith is a convert to Scientology, how long before these two smiling gents team up for a flick? I’d actually like to see that - maybe they should play two dentists who spoil a terrorist plot.
December 15th, 2007 at 12:21 pm
I don’t care if Tom Cruise is a little crazy. I still like and look forward to his movies.
December 16th, 2007 at 7:34 am
TheDohDoh Says: “if this opens to only $20 mill in the summer, just like he did with M: I 3.”
Correction: MI3opened with 47M$.
It did really good actually, mostly for a third movie of an old franchise.
The move is smart, It is indeed for Oscar competition .
December 16th, 2007 at 11:26 pm
Anything that would flee from the craptacular Wanted is in deep trouble.