‘Jack the Giant Killer’ Gets Booted to March 2013
What was supposed to be the year of the gritty revisionist fairy tale blockbusters has turned into a rather questionable "happily ever after." Less than two weeks ago we learned Paramount had moved
Hansel & Gretel Witch Hunters to January 2013. Now, Warner Bros. has delayed
Bryan Singer's
Jack the Giant Killer a whopping nine months. Instead of bowing on June 15, those looking to climb the beanstalk to a war of men vs. giants will have to wait until March 22, 2013.
The move does relieve "Jack" from competing with a similar film in
Snow White and the Huntsman out June 1 and
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter on June 22. Even Pixar's
Brave (June 22) plays to an action/adventure audience. At the same time, it trades those films for a heavy March 2013 slate that includes Sam Raimi's
Oz: The Great and Powerful (Mar. 8) and
Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters (Mar. 27).
Deadline notes that Warner Bros. has moved the musical
Rock of Ages up two weeks into
Jack the Giant Killer's June 15 slot. The studio will hunt for a new release date for David Dobkin's
Arthur & Lancelot, previously scheduled for March 15, 2013.
It's hard to say whether Warner Bros. simply lacks confidence in "Jack" (which has little star power) or if
Arthur & Lancelot is a bit behind schedule. Likely a combination of both. With
The Dark Knight Rises out in July, the studio can afford to tinker as much as it likes. It should easily outgross all other major studios in 2012.