Paramount pushes Star Trek Xi release to May 8th, 2009

[Ktrek]

This is disappointing news! :(

According to Variety, Paramount is pushing the release date back to May 8th, 2009. I'm providing the link for skeptics but the full article is below:

http://www.variety.com/VR1117980912.html

Paramount is pushing back the release of "Star Trek" from Dec. 25 to May 8, 2009.
Par also is moving DreamWorks' Ben Stiller summer comedy "Tropic Thunder" from July 11 to Aug. 15.

Move was part of a major reshuffling to the studio's release calendar, as well as DreamWorks' release calendar.

Studio insiders said "Star Trek" has the potential to gross more in May than in December.

All the majors are likely to revisit their 2008 and 2009 release skeds in the wake of the writer's strike now being over. There's an abundance of films slated for release this year, and particularly comedies. It's likely that Par won't be the only studio pushing back films to 2009.

"Star Trek" has no competition in its new slot--at least not so far. One week earlier, 20th Century Fox bows "X-Men Origins: Wolverine."

Paramount also announced that Martin Scorsese's Leonardo DiCaprio-starrer "Shutter Island" will be released Oct. 2, 2008.

Kevin

[jedijeff]

If they feel business is better in May, and overall it is good for the Star Trek franchise, I can wait. I agree it is disappointing to have to wait 5 more months, but the spring/summer is a prime release time, so they must feel very good about this movie.

[X]

I think that this will also give them more months of polish to effects and do more backup work. I don't see this as a bad thing at all.

[Ktrek]

I told my wife a month ago that I would not believe it until I see it on the December release. I did not see how they could get a movie of this scope and importance finished on time with the shooting schedule ending in April. I'm dissapointed only because I really want to see the film but if it means a better film and a better shot at success then I'm behind them.

Kevin

[Geekyfanboy]

Here's some more info..

BREAKING NEWS: Star Trek Pushed To May 2009 [UPDATED]  February 13, 2008
by Anthony Pascale , Filed under: Star Trek (2008 film) , trackback

Variety is reporting that Paramount has pushed the release of the new Star Trek movie from Christmas 2008 to May 8, 2009. Apparently the reason is to go for bigger box office during the summer season. Variety quotes a studio insider saying "Star Trek has the potential to gross more in May than in December."

UPDATE: Trek move part of larger reshuffling at Paramount
Apparently this is all part of a larger plan on the part of Paramount and the decision was likely made by new Film Division Head John Lesher. Here is more from Variety's Blog.

    John Lesher is starting to make his imprint felt at Paramount. (And make no mistake, he's still overseeing Vantage too.) Paramount is changing a number of release dates on their 2008 and 2009 skeds, moving J.J. Abrams' Star Trek from Christmas, 2008 to May 8, 2009. David Fincher's Brad Pitt-starrer The Curious Case of Benjamin Button will move from November 26 to December 19, 2008.

    DreamWorks Pictures' comedy Tropic Thunder, originally scheduled for July 11, will now be released on August 15 by DreamWorks-Paramount. And Sam Mendes' Revolutionary Road, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, originally announced as a DreamWorks-Paramount release, will now be distributed by Paramount Vantage. Which makes perfect sense; who better to handle it as an Oscar contender?

UPDATE 2: Nothing to do with script
The Hollywood Reporter also notes that Paramount's reshuffling of six films was due to a rethink after the strike and that in the case of Trek it was not related to the script.

    Dramatically underscoring the need for movie-side execs to review slates following the long writers strike, Paramount on Wednesday bounced six films to new dates and moved two unslotted films to next year's calendar.

    Other distributors were scrambling to complete similar reviews of their upcoming productions to determine what can or can't be delivered on scheduled dates. In some cases, films will move because of talent issues, but many film projects have been frozen in time when script rewrites weren't completed before the 100-day scribe walkout.

    "Star Trek" arguably was the biggest film moved, with the intended Christmas Day release now set for the first prime date in the following summer boxoffice season: May 8, 2009. But "Trek" appears something of an exception in the mix of itinerant pics, with its shift unrelated to script or cast considerations.

    " 'Star Trek' is moving to summer because its has so much boxoffice potential," Par spokesman Michael Vollman said. "It does not need any script tweaks. They're two-thirds of the way through shooting, and we would have delivered a great movie at Christmas."

Summer a better move?
Although winter release films can make a lot of money (like the recent Lord of the Rings films and last years Bond film), the biggest film's tend to come out in the Summer. Due to the writer's strike, the summer of 2009 will be a bit lighter than 2007 and 2008. Right now there are no movies slated for the 8th of May 2009, although the week before is X-Men Origins: Wolverine and the week after is Angels and Demons (ironically this sequel to The Da Vinci Code was originally slated to come out the weekend before Star Trek in December 2008). Of course, there is no guarantee those films will stay in those slots. As for Christmas this year, Star Trek was one of three films being released that day (although the other two were likely more aimed at different markets).

The move could be to help fill Paramount Dreamworks 2009 line-up after 2008 which already has a number of strong entries (Spiderwick, Iron Man, Indy 4, Madagascar 2, The Love Guru, Benjamin Button, etc.). The only other big films currently slated for Summer 2009 are Transformers 2 on June 29th and G.I. Joe in August.

As more details emerge, TrekMovie.com will report them.

[Darth Gaos]

Someone's gonna have to reset the widget :'(

[Ktrek]

Someone's gonna have to reset the widget :'(

You right about dat! :)

Kevin

[wraith1701]

According to Variety, Paramount is pushing the release date back to May 8th, 2009.

[Rico]

FRAK!

At least that's my first reaction.  I do think this is a simple strategy move on the part of Paramount.  I'm sure they feel strongly that an early May 2009 release will get them more box office, and therefore it will be a much bigger success.  I think they also want a big 2009 summer hit and due to the strike might feel things are looking a bit thin for 2009.  Of course this will give them more time to polish the movie.  Keep in mind most big effects movies spend a year or more in post production.  The "Star Wars" films have done that and most recent heavy effects films.  Since they are shooting until about April this makes sense.  I do think it could of been ready for Christmas but this probably will only help the final product.  I don't like having to wait longer of course.  One even bigger trouble I see now is keeping a lid on the big movie plot points.  I have a feeling that now it's going to be very, very hard to not know a lot about what's in the film before we see it.  But this still could be the best thing for the franchise.  It's been a long time since we have had a summer Trek movie to see.

[Jen]

I agree with Rico. I can wait five months if it gives post production time to polish the film. And I want to see it on opening night... I do not go to the movies on Christmas day, and I was resigned to see it a week after. Now I get to see it with all the other devoted fans.  :)
I'm cool with it... it's not that much longer. It's not like they canceled it or anything.

[Bryancd]

Yeah, I never understood the Christmas realease date logic.

[The IC]

dammit!

[billybob476]

Well if it makes for a better movie I'm all for it. If they're just going to leave it on the shelf completed until the summer just to make more money I'd be annoyed.

[Geekyfanboy]

I think one reason they moved it is because it would make more money in the summer but I think the more important reason is because it won't be done in time.

I have said this from the beginning that they wouldn't get done in time for Christmas. If they finish shotting in April that gives them eight months to finish in post and really not even that.. about seven before the film has to be done and duplicated. For the scale this movie that they are supposedly doing that would not be enough time. Of course they could do it if everyone works 24 hours and winds up hating their jobs and it would be rushed as well. I think the extension is a good thing, it will give them time to properly finish the film.

[Rico]

The people making the movie have said that it would of been ready in time for Christmas.  Whether we believe that or not I guess is up to the individual.  I'm sure they could of been ready but I also think more time always helps.  However, the biggest reason for the move is more money.