‘Spider-Verse’ sequel removed from Sony calendar amid film slate reshuffle
If your Spidey senses were tingling, it’s because “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse” has been removed from the Sony calendar as the studio reshuffles its 2023-2024 schedule amid the writers’ and actors’ strikes.
The highly anticipated “Spider-Man” sequel was expected to land in theaters March 29, 2024, following the runaway success of the latest feature in the animated franchise, “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” which has grossed $377 million at the domestic box office and $677 million worldwide to date. The third installment will now likely be pushed back by multiple years.
“The studio is considering several dates depending on how long the strike lasts,” according to a press release.
A new installment to “Ghostbusters: Afterlife,” which was slated to land around Christmas, will move to “Beyond the Spider-Verse’s” Easter weekend slot.
Self-taped auditions, once thought to be a convenience, have spiraled into a problem for SAG-AFTRA members who want protections against potential abuse.
The studio is moving forward with Neill Blomkamp’s “Gran Turismo,” inspired by a true story involving the racing video game, and hoping it will benefit from positive word-of-mouth after previewing it in select theaters Aug. 11 and Aug. 18, before expanding wide on Aug. 25.
“Kraven the Hunter” — Sony’s latest Spider-Man villain spinoff — which was expected to hit theaters Oct. 6, has been moved to Aug. 30, 2024 (Labor Day weekend).
“Madame Web,” yet another Spidey-adjacent movie, is still on schedule for next year, opening on Valentine’s Day 2024 (two days earlier than planned).
Spider-Man spinoff “El Muerto,” starring Bad Bunny, was removed from the studio’s calendar last month.
Blumhouse horror pic “They Listen” is now also undated from a planned bow of Aug. 30, 2024.
“Karate Kid,” meanwhile, was pushed back by six months to Dec.13, 2024.
The studio also dated upcoming sequels for “Bad Boys” and “Venom” to June 14 (Father’s Day weekend) and July 12, 2024, respectively.
Sony is the latest studio to upend its release schedule in the wake of the dual strikes, which come just a few years after the COVID-19 pandemic shut down theaters, triggering similar release shuffles.
Last month Disney announced it would delay each of the next three “Avatar” movies by a year and push back its entire Marvel slate, including “Captain America: Brave New World,” “Thunderbolts,” “Blade,” “Fantastic Four” “Avengers: The Kang Dynasty” and “Avengers: Secret Wars.”
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