Hollywood is at a standstill due to the ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike. Now, it looks like even movies that are scheduled to release this year may be delayed. Disney is joining other major studios in being forced to push release dates – amid the CEO’s tone deaf criticism of the strike.
Disney is reportedly delaying the release of Poor Things, an upcoming surrealist science fantasy comedy-drama movie starring Emma Stone and Mark Ruffalo. The movie was originally set to premiere in the US on September 8, 2023. The release date has been pushed back by three months due to the ongoing strike.
According to Variety, Disney has moved the release of Poor Things to December 8, 2023. However, the film will still be debuting at the Venice Film Festival in September, at least for now. It is unclear if this will remain in place.
After it was announced that Yorgos Lanthimos' #PoorThings would premiere in competition at Venice Film Festival, Disney has moved its release date from September to Dec. 8. https://t.co/ng8USzFjtp pic.twitter.com/UklNdd2X8h
— Variety (@Variety) July 25, 2023
Poor Things casts Stone as Bella Baxter, a woman brought back to life by a scientist. She runs off with a slick-talking lawyer played by Ruffalo. The pair go on an adventure of self-discovery with Bella demanding equality and liberation.
The movie is being directed by Yorgos Lanthimos with the screenplay written by Tony McNamara. The film is being distributed by Searchlight Pictures, one of the many subsidiaries of Disney Entertainment division.
Poor Things is not the only film that is being delayed. There are reports that the company is also pushing back the release of Next Goal Wins and Magazine Dreams. The studio is also reviewing the upcoming release schedule for the rest of the year, and considering delaying the premiere of A Haunting In Venice, Wish, and The Marvels.
Warner Bros is also reportedly considering delaying Dune 2, The Color Purple, and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. While many of these films are nearly complete, the strike can pose a hurdle to their release in many different ways, both legally and in terms of predicted success.
We may not hear of a new movie release schedule until the review is complete. Pushing back the theatrical release of movies will have a ripple effect and impact films scheduled for release next year, as releases often try avoiding other heavy hitters which may cause rivalry at the box office.
The strike prevents actors from actively promoting upcoming movies. This means that there will be no red-carpet premiere events, TV interviews, and other special appearances by actors in festivals and conventions.
Filming for upcoming movies in the US has already been suspended. The shutdown of blockbusters such as Gladiator 2 and Deadpool 3 is reportedly costing studios up to $600,000 per week. The actors’ and writers’ unions want to negotiate better pay and benefits for their members.
The work stoppage is hurting actors as much as big studios. The SAG-AFTRA has asked its most prominent member for donations toward an emergency fund for actors who are struggling financially. Dwayne Johnson has reportedly made a hefty donation to the fund to help actors.
Poor Things is coming to theaters on December 8, 2023.
