Star Wars Films, Avatar Sequels Delayed a 12 months as Disney Unveils New Launch Dates

Disney has unveiled a collection of launch date adjustments, with the most important information being that every one upcoming Star Wars and Avatar motion pictures have been pushed again by a yr. As a substitute of releasing seven of them alternately between 2021 and 2027, they’ll now come out between 2022 and 2028. Three Star Wars movies — the primary reportedly Taika Waititi’s — are set for December 22, 2023, December 19, 2025, and December 17, 2027. Avatar takes up the opposite 4 slots, with Avatar 2 on December 16, 2022, Avatar three on December 20, 2024, Avatar four on December 18, 2026, and Avatar 5 on December 22, 2028.

The delay on Avatar 2 has been necessitated by the continued coronavirus pandemic, producer and director James Cameron mentioned in a letter posted on Avatar’s social media feeds: “As a consequence of COVID-19, we had been compelled into an sudden prolonged delay in beginning the reside motion filming we’re at present doing in New Zealand. What most of you possible have no idea is that the pandemic continues to be stopping us from being allowed to recommence most of our digital manufacturing work on phases in Los Angeles. Previous to COVID-19, all the pieces was on monitor to convey you the primary sequel in December of 2021. Sadly, as a result of impression that the pandemic has had on our schedule, it’s not doable for us to make that date.”

Avatar 2 is not the one Disney movie that is been affected by the pandemic. The live-action reimagining of Mulan — which had been repeatedly delayed and was slated for August 21 — has now been taken off the discharge calendar solely, days after Warner Bros. did the identical for Christopher Nolan’s Tenet (beforehand set for August 12). Weirdly although, Disney hasn’t moved the X-Males horror spin-off The New Mutants from August 28, which can be the brand new launch date for the Dev Patel-led The Private Historical past of David Copperfield from Disney-owned Searchlight Footage. It is unclear if these movies are focusing on a restricted launch in international locations the place theatres are open, or if they are going to be delayed once more.

Past that, in 2020, we have now Matthew Vaughn’s World Warfare I spy prequel The King’s Man on September 18, Kenneth Branagh’s homicide thriller Demise on the Nile pushed again two weeks to October 23, the Marvel Cinematic Universe Section four opener Black Widow on November 6, the Ben Affleck, Ana de Armas-starrer erotic thriller Deep Water on November 13, Pixar’s subsequent film Soul on November 20, the supernatural horror movie The Empty Man delayed 4 months to December four, Ryan Reynold’s motion journey Free Man for December 11, and Steven Spielberg’s West Facet Story remake on December 18. Given the scenario although, count on these movies to be moved round.

And lastly, Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch — set for October 16 — would not have a launch date anymore, as with Mulan.