Some bad news has come down the info-tube for those awaiting a bevy of next year's hottest movie titles. Films such as The Dark Tower, Edgar Wright's Baby Driver and the Dwayne Johnson-starring Jumanji sequel are all being delayed.
Let's start with The Dark Tower, as Entertainment Weekly reports that concerns that the movie's heavy effects load won't be ready in time have been plaguing the Stephen King adaptation for some time. The film has a lower budget than some of its wannabe-blockbuster brethren and director Nikolaj Arcel and his team have been struggling to finish everything despite wrapping principle photography on time this summer.
The movie, which stars Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey, had been scheduled for February, but will now move back to July next year. It seems like the smart move to wait to get the look right, as the fantastical visuals will be a big part of selling this one. And the lack of any trailer just a few months away from the release date was not a good sign.
While we can't imagine such effects worries are bothering Edgar Wright, his new film, Baby Driver is also on the move. This shift seems more to be about giving the movie the best release slot, moving it away from Disney's new Beauty And The Beast and into a summer slot that could give it extra exposure, even if it's likely to be another crowded marketplace.
Finally, there's Jumanji, with benefits from the on-screen re-teaming of The Rock and Kevin Hart. That is on the move to 22 December, at least in the US, likely because studio bosses Sony see the date as a family friendly holiday chance. We'll see how it works out.