'21 Bridges' Release Date Pushed To November, Giving Audiences Time To See The Previous 20 Bridge Movies First

By Chris EvangelistaJuly 30, 2019 8:30 am EST

21 Bridges, the first post-Avengers: Endgame flick from producers The Russo Brothers, starring Black Panther's Chadwick Boseman, was all set for a September release. Now, things have changed. The cop thriller will now bow in November. Why? Well, the reasons are murky, but we'll cross those 21 Bridges when we get to them.Deadline is reporting that the 21 Bridges release date has moved from September 27 to November 22. The Deadline report states: "The decision was made after 21 Bridges got a strong response when its trailer was included in the Hall H Comic-Con panel where Avengers: Endgame directors Joe and Anthony Russo unveiled their early slates under their AGBO banner."

But I've heard from people at the Hall H panel that the film went over rather tepidly. On top of that, there are rumors swirling that distributor STX Films is in a bit of financial trouble:

BREAKING: Chadwick Boseman action-thriller 21 BRIDGES delayed AGAIN, this time from Sept. 27 to Nov. 22. Deadline spinning it as a less competitive frame, but numerous reports have claimed STX keeps kicking this can down the road b/c it has limited funds to release it. Hmmm...
— Jeff Sneider (@TheInSneider) July 29, 2019

It's worth noting this is the second time the film has been delayed. It was initially set for a July 12 release date before being bumped to September. In 21 Bridges, "After uncovering a massive conspiracy, an embattled NYPD detective joins a citywide manhunt for two young cop killers. As the night unfolds, he soon becomes unsure of who to pursue – and who's in pursuit of him. When the search intensifies, authorities decide to take extreme measures by closing all of Manhattan's 21 bridges to prevent the suspects from escaping." Boseman plays the NYPD detective.

Is there any buzz for this movie? Sure, it has the Russo Brothers as producers, and it has Chadwick Boseman in the lead. I also appreciate the Russos using their considerable clout to push mid-budget, non-franchise movies – a subgenre that has grown more and more scarce as blockbuster franchises reign supreme. But the trailer for 21 Bridges is rather bland. On top of that, it's one of those trailers that gives the entire movie away. I have a hard time imagining this is going to be a hit, no matter where it ends up.

You could argue that pushing 21 Bridges out of September frees it up from having to compete with Joker, a film that's sure to generate more buzz. But setting it in November gives it a whole new slew of films to compete with: A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, Frozen 2, Terminator: Dark Fate, Doctor Sleep, and more. No matter how you slice it, 21 Bridges appears to have an uphill battle.