The Wolf Man has been delayed by Universal YET AGAIN, the third major release change for the movie and the studio will be quick to use the excuse of more time is needed for make-up effects etc, but seriously this project has been in development FOREVER. What more time do you need?
As long ago as last November, we wrote that Joe Johnston’s flick had been delayed to November this year because additional reshooting was needed (that in itself, a terrible sign) and that the effects weren’t up to scratch. They’ve had 2/3rd’s of a year to put this situation right and they still haven’t solved it!
Shock Till You Drop report that The Wolf Man’s cosy Nov. 8th 2009 slot has been pushed back three months to Feb. 12th 2010, the cinematic graveyard date for horror which very few have managed to ever survive. Jason Vorhees managed it this year, so maybe there is still hope. You see the problem is it’s the Valentines Day weekend and it’s sappy romantic crap that usually takes the gold on that day, and to be fair if there was one weekend of the year that you can understand it happening, it’s that one.
Yeah… I saw Hitch and Definitely, Maybe.
Anyway… so what was once being setup as a potential Summer blockbuster with marketable names of Benicio Del Toro, Hugo Weaving, Emily Blunt and Sir. Anthony Hopkins, is now an after thought February release, a counter marketing strategy against rom/com’s.
Universal keep hiding away The Wolf Man from us, a little like an overweight kid who is worried about showing his girlfriend his naked body and shys away from getting down to the thing. But sooner or later your going to have to bite the bullet… and just pray we are still around and interested to care.
2 Comments
The film never had a release date that implied it was being set up as a potential “summer blockbuster”. In fact it was originally scheduled to open this past February before being moved up to April 2009, then November. While I agree that the F/X quibbling is annoying, and an issue that should have been properly planned in advance of the shoot, I hardly think Universal is “burying” the film. The November date had it competing with the usual high-toned Oscar bait and flimsy holiday fare regularly scheduled for that time of year. The notion that February isn’t a viable release month is outdated, and if the movie is good, it might have a stronger impact in February without so much competition. It’s valid to worry about the reshoots and studio indecision, but I do trust these actors and they rarely disappoint.
Boy, this film must stink!!! and to think Joe Johnson (the Director) is going on to make Captain America after he gets this mess out of his hair.