Theaters Closed, Studios Postpone Releases
With the rise of global concerns over COVID-19, the film industry is in a state of upheaval. AMC Theatres, Regal Cinemas, Cinemark Theatres and Landmark Theatres have all closed their theaters temporarily for at least 6-12 weeks. In addition to theater closures, all the major distributors have postponed upcoming releases.
The next James Bond film, No Time to Die, has been postponed from April 10 to Nov. 25. (Photo: Universal Pictures)
What began with the shifting of the release date for Universal Pictures’ next James Bond film, No Time to Die, from April 10 to Nov. 8, soon became a tidal wave of date changes. Paramount Pictures moved A Quiet Place Part II from last weekend to an unspecified future release while the Walt Disney Studios did the same with not only this week’s release of Mulan, but also shifting 20th Century Studios’ The New Mutants, Searchlight Pictures’ Antlers, Marvel Stuidos’ Black Widow, The Personal History of David Copperfield and The Woman in the Window.
In addition, Universal moved F9 out an entire year and Sony Pictures shifted Peter Rabbit 2 from April to an August release.
Universal has also already made new releases The Hunt along with The Invisible Man and Focus Features’ Emma available On Demand last week. The studio still has Trolls World Tour set for an April 10 release, with plans to go day-and-date in theaters and On Demand at home.
Box office reporting has been suspended until theaters begin to reopen.
Wide release changes
| Movie | Original Release Date | New Release Date |
| My Spy | March 13 | April 17 |
| A Quite Place Part II | March 20 | TBD |
| Mulan | March 27 | TBD |
| The Lovebirds | April 3 | TBD |
| New Mutants | April 3 | TBD |
| Peter Rabbit II | April 3 | Aug. 7 |
| No Time to Die | April 10 | Nov. 25 |
| Antlers | April 10 | TBD |
| Blue Story | April 17 | TBD |
| Trolls: World Tour | April 17 | April 10 |
| Antebellum | April 24 | TBD |
| Black Widow | May 1 | TBD |
| Run Sweetheart Run | May 8 | TBD |
| Scoob! | May 15 | TBD |
| Spiral: From the Book of Saw | May 15 | TBD |
| The Woman in the Window | May 15 | TBD |
| F9 | May 22 | April 2, 2021 |
| Wonder Woman 1984 | June 5 | Aug. 14 |
| In the Heights | June 26 | TBD |
| Minions: The Rise of Gru | July 3 | TBD |
| Tenet | July 17 | July 17 |
| Malignant | Aug. 14 | TBD |
Editor-in-Chief Mark Heckathorn is a journalist, movie buff and foodie. He oversees DC on Heels editorial operations as well as strategic planning and staff development. Reach him with story ideas or suggestions at dcoheditor (at) gmail (dot) com.
