In a move designed to maximize playability, Sony is delaying the release of Roland Emmerich’s sci-fi action pic “2012” from July 10 to Nov. 13, two weekends before the lucrative Thanksgiving session. 2012 is claimed by some with New age beliefs to be a great year of spiritual transformation (or alternatively an apocalypse). There is disagreement among believers whether 2012 will see an end of civilization, or humanity will be elevated to a higher level. Many esoteric sources interpret the completion of the thirteenth B’ak’tun cycle in the Long Count of the Maya calendar (which occurs on December 21 by the most widely held correlation) to mean there will be a major change in world order. The film has an ensemble cast, including John Cusack, Amanda Peet, Danny Glover, Thandie Newton, Oliver Platt, Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Woody Harrelson.
This time around, the studio has slotted its tentpole against two wide openers — Warner Bros.’ caper pic “Sherlock Holmes,” starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, and Fox’s Dwayne Johnson comedy “The Tooth Fairy.” It wasn’t clear whether the arrival of “2012” would prompt the departure of either of those pics for clearer pastures.
“We’ve had such success with the James Bond films in November that we wanted a big tentpole film in that slot this year,” Sony distribution president Rory Bruer said Tuesday. “We’ve got so many films in the summer that this is the perfect answer to that.”
Here is an official trailer for 2012:
Sony execs said “2012” could have been completed by its summer date, though the new date will add some extra time for the effects-laden production. The studio’s remaining films set for release this summer include “The Taking of Pelham 123,” an action pic starring Denzel Washington and John Travolta; “The Year One,” a comedy toplined by Jack Black and Michael Cera; “Julie and Julia,” a drama featuring Meryl Streep and Amy Adams; “District 9,” a sci-fi movie with Jason Cope and Sharlto Copley; and “Mardi Gras,” a comedy starring Nicholas D’Agosto and Josh Gad.
