Another day, another batch of weird news about Warner Bros. Discovery. As hard as it is to not detect malice behind every decision the company has made in the last few months, including obliterating scripted television at three networks, removing HBO Max originals from HBO Max, laying off 14% of HBO’s workforce, shelving a nearly completed Batgirl movie, and laying waste to a host of original animated shows, we must assume that everything they do is in the interest of tax write-downs. Understandable, have a great day.
However, this time, it seems Warner Bros. made a decision in the film’s interest. Warner Bros. announced today that it’s moving Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom from March 17, 2023, to December 25. Per Deadline, the movie needs more time in postproduction to get all that hair swaying in the water just right. Taking Aquaman’s place is another superhero movie: Shazam: Fury Of The Gods, which is moving to March 17 and far away from its original release date of December 16, 2022. The movie will give Shazam a solid four months gap from Avatar: The Way Of Water, which Shazam was initially set to open against. It would’ve been a bloodbath.
Warners had some other shakeups, too. The House Party reboot and Evil Dead Rise will receive theatrical releases on April 23, 2023. We assume that the decision to upgrade both from HBO Max to theaters speaks to the studio’s confidence in the movies. And say your prayers now because The Nun 2 is coming to force you into confession on September 8, 2023.
It wasn’t all sunshine and roses for Warner’s horror slate, though. The upcoming Salem’s Lot no longer has a release date, a real stake to the heart of Stephen King fans. Originally, WB planned on releasing the film on September 9, 2022, before moving it to April 21. We can only assume that David Zazlov has been wearing garlic all over the lot, scaring off all the vampire movies, because we have no idea when this one is coming out.
Finally, Warners is promising an “untitled event film” for February 10, 2023. We never thought of Salem’s Lot as an event film, but it does require a release date.