Every Major Movie Likely Set To Be Delayed Until 2022 - Screen Rant

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A number of fall and winter 2021 movies could see their releases delayed to 2022 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the year's most lucrative titles, among which rank Black Widow, F9: The Fast Saga, and A Quiet Place Part II, saw initial box-office success, their profits quickly dwindled—a problematic trend further complicated by day-and-date streaming releases for some. The rise of the COVID-19 Delta variant has resulted in stagnant hesitation to attend theaters among moviegoers and may lead film studios to again hold off on upcoming major releases until 2022.

The decision of whether or not to postpone a movie release largely hinges on the state of the pandemic. With COVID-19 cases rapidly increasing across the United States, the current circumstances far from guarantee box office success for even the most highly-anticipated movies. The likelihood of the pandemic's severity lessening, and thus turning more favorable to movie studios, appears slim. As a result, studios have an important decision on their hands.

No film is safe from a potential delay to the upcoming calendar year, though the decision to wait until the public health crisis improves will most likely implicate the more popular titles. From long-awaited 2021 Marvel movies to action-packed blockbusters designed for the big screen, the year's final four months feature a multitude of high-profile pictures. These are the movies slated for late-2021 releases with the highest probability of being postponed to January or later.

Venom: Let There Be Carnage

Sony Pictures has fumbled quite a bit with the sequel to 2018's Venom, starring Tom Hardy. Sequel Venom: Let There Be Carnage was previously supposed to release exclusively in theaters on September 24th; however, the studio pushed the movie's opening to October 15th. Soon after the move, it was rumored that Sony had elected to delay Venom 2 to January 2022, but the reports were later debunked. Whether or not a 2022 opening for the movie materializes, speculation will continue to follow Venom 2. Still, the possibility of another postponement remains, and if Sony prioritizes box office success, its decision will likely see the movie in theaters after the new year.

No Time To Die

Daniel Craig's final appearance as James Bond in No Time To Die faced three postponements from its initial release date of March 4, 2020. Now scheduled for October 8, 2021, the movie may be yet to reach the end of its setbacks. MGM has doubled down on its plans for the film and even scheduled its world premiere event for the end of September. At the moment, it appears that No Time To Die will keep its October theaters-only opening date, but with the evolving COVID-19 pandemic, nothing is certain.

Dune

The highly-anticipated adaptation of Frank Herbert's novel Dune, led by an all-star cast including Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, and Rebecca Ferguson, is currently set to release on October 22 in theaters and on HBO Max. Dune director Denis Villeneuve has strongly spoken out in criticism of Warner Bros.' decision regarding a day-and-date streaming release, saying that watching Dune at home would be like driving "a speedboat in your bathtub." Before obtaining its October 22 release date, the movie was previously slated to open on October 1st. While no concrete information hinting at another delay has materialized, as one of the biggest movies scheduled for the end of 2021, Dune could easily move to 2022 if the COVID-19 pandemic worsens.

Eternals

Marvel's third movie in its recently commenced Phase 4 lineup plans to hit the big screen on November 5, a more than eight-month delay from its prior release date of February 12, 2021. While Marvel and Disney hope to release Eternals as a theatrical exclusive, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige hinted that the movie could debut simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ premium access like Black Widow. Further speculation surrounding Eternals stems from a recent report indicating that the movie's release date will depend on Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' box office performance. That movie, slated for a theatrical-only release on September 3, is projected to generate a $55 million opening weekend, putting the Destin Daniel Cretton film $25 million short of Black Widow's opening earnings in July. If Shang-Chi slumps at the box office, as many other 2021 movies have, it's a strong possibility that Marvel will opt for 2022 to debut Eternals.

West Side Story

Steven Spielberg's remake of the 1961 musical film West Side Story is slated for release on December 10. West Side Story's cast is led by Ansel Elgort and Rachel Zegler, and the movie was originally scheduled for a year earlier and the COVID-19 pandemic could force its premiere into 2022 if the situation changes. West Side Story's rather short delay could compel 20th Century Studios to move the movie to next year given its high profile. At this time, no news indicates that West Side Story is headed to streaming services or a delayed theatrical release, but it will be a title to keep an eye on as studios manage their schedules.

Spider-Man: No Way Home

Following Eternals, Sony plans to release Spider-Man: No Way Home on December 17th. The highly-anticipated third MCU Spider-Man entry starring Tom Holland promises to pack theaters across the country, as the Spider-Man: No Way Home trailer broke the 24-hour views record previously held by Avengers: Endgame. Though technically a Sony movie, the fate of No Way Home's 2021 release could also rely on the outcomes of Marvel films coming out earlier this falls. The Venom 2 rumors have prompted speculation of a potential 2022 release for No Way Home, but Sony has yet to make a move. Due to the studio's wavering response to Venom 2, it may prefer to wait until 2022 for the No Way Home debut, when movie theater attendance is closer to pre-pandemic levels, given the massive hype surrounding the newest Spider-Man flick, not to mention how it ties into the rest of the larger MCU narrative.

The King's Man

As it stands, The King's Man will be 2021's final blockbuster to grace the big screen on December 22. A prequel to the Kingsman movies, the Matthew Vaughn film has had eight different release dates thus far. The King's Man was filmed in early 2019 and was originally scheduled to hit theaters on November 15 of the same year. Considering the film's many prior delays and the absence of a Kingsman franchise title since 2017, it's likely that Disney will want to maintain The King's Man's current opening date. The movie's relevance has already dwindled significantly, but yet another postponement remains within the realm of possibility as the COVID-19 Delta variant spreads and continues to affect upcoming 2021 movies.

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About The Author

Madeline Lapreziosa (8 Articles Published)

Madeline Lapreziosa is a TV/Movies Features Writer for Screen Rant. She is a senior at Penn State University pursuing degrees in print/digital journalism and French. She has covered sports, as well as arts and entertainment for Penn State's student-run newspaper The Daily Collegian. An avid reader and soccer fan, Madeline also enjoys watching TV and movies in her free time. Her all-time favorite shows are The Expanse, Game of Thrones, and Westworld.