Beyond The Spider-Verse Yanked Off Calendar, Venom 3 And Kraven Get New Dates In Sony Release Shuffle
Call it the Sony shuffle. In an unfortunate throwback to the early days of the pandemic in 2020, when prolonged shutdowns forced studios to push back several high-profile projects to safer pastures, the AMPTP's refusal to negotiate in good faith with both the currently-striking writers guild (WGA) and the actors guild (SAG-AFTRA) has once again resulted in a fresh wave of delays. Only a little more than a month after Disney upended much of their 2023 slate of releases, Sony is now following suit.
First and foremost, the biggest news of the bunch revolves around the upcoming threequel that will cap the acclaimed "Spider-Verse" trilogy — and it's also the least surprising. Previously dated for a theatrical release on March 29, 2024, "Beyond the Spider-Verse" never seemed likely to hit that mark, particularly after reports of widespread workplace mismanagement on "Across the Spider-Verse." This new development certainly confirms those fears, as the highly-anticipated sequel has now been removed from Sony's calendar altogether. That's almost certainly only a temporary measure until negotiations begin again and a new deal ends the strikes, which will provide much more clarity for Sony's crown jewel franchise.
Elsewhere, one change will have an impact on the studio's most imminent release: The gamer-turned-racer project "Gran Turismo." Scheduled to peel into theaters on August 11, 2023, the Neill Blomkamp film has now been pushed back two weeks to August 25. For those itching for their adrenaline fix, however, there will be sneak peeks at select theaters nationwide on the weekends of August 11 and August 18. Keep scrolling to peruse the rest of the delays, which involve multiple comic book movies, two major blockbuster sequels, and more.
Sony shakes up its calendar
Bad news, Kraven stans! That's right, all two dozen of you. Sony is undergoing some pretty significant calendar shakeups, and that's inevitably going to have an effect on the studio's ambitious (and maybe somewhat misguided?) superhero plans. Here are all the major changes in full:
- "Madame Web," the Spider-Man spin-off set to star Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, Emma Roberts, Adam Scott, and more, has been shifted a grand total of two days, from February 16, 2024 to February 14, 2024. Yup, that means moviegoers will get to spend Valentine's Day with the Spider-Gals.
- The untitled sequel to "Ghostbusters: Afterlife," meanwhile, has been kicked from its prime holiday spot on December 20, 2023 to March 29, 2024.
- The Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Russell Crowe-starring "Kraven the Hunter" has suffered one of the biggest pushbacks, unfortunately. Originally slated for a somewhat appropriate spooky-themed release on October 6, 2023, the spin-off film will now bow on Labor Day weekend next year, August 30, 2024.
- You may have forgotten that Sony had plans for a new "Karate Kid" movie (for some reason), so news of this delay may or may not be that big of a deal. In any case, the newest installment of the classic franchise will now debut December 13, 2024, pushed back more than six months from its original summer release.
- Did you know we were getting a Blumhouse horror flick starring John Cho and Katherine Waterston from the director of "American Pie," of all movies? Well, you do now. And now you also know that the project, titled "They Listen," has been pushed off the calendar altogether from its previously scheduled August 30, 2024 landing spot. Bummer!
- Finally, this last one is for fans of Dudes Rock Cinema. The untitled "Bad Boys" sequel, which we covered here, will see Will Smith and Martin Lawrence kick butt and take names on Father's Day 2024, June 14. The untitled "Venom 3" will now stomp into theaters only a month later, on July 12, 2024.