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Summer movies 2020: What's being released and what's postponed

Coronavirus shuffles movie release dates for years to come
Posted at 11:31 AM, May 03, 2020
and last updated 2020-05-03 11:31:13-04

The coronavirus pandemic has not only claimed thousands of lives, brought sports to a standstill and crippled the economy, but it's also shuttered movie theaters across the country, forcing major studios to alter the release dates of several big-budget, highly anticipated films.

Here's a look at the ripple effect the shuffling of release dates has caused and when moviegoers can eventually expect to see their favorite films on the silver screen.

"A Quiet Place Part II"
Original Release Date: March 8
New Release Date: Sept. 4

'A Quiet Place Part II' promotional image
Marcus (Noah Jupe), Regan (Millicent Simmonds) and Evelyn (Emily Blunt) brave the unknown in "A Quiet Place Part II."

The sequel to John Krasinski's 2018 quiet (get it?) horror hit had its world premiere in New York City and was slated for a March 20 nationwide release before Paramount Pictures pulled the plug at the onset of the pandemic.

"Mulan"
Original Release Date: March 27
New Release Date: July 24

'Mulan' promotional image
Liu Yifei stars in the live-action adaptation of Disney's "Mulan."

Disney's live-action version of the 1998 animated movie moves from March to late July. Straying from the model of previous Disney live-action remakes, "Mulan" won't have any musical interludes and is the first such film to garner the PG-13 rating, although fans will have to wait a few more months to see it.

"No Time to Die"
Original Release Date: April 10
New Release Date: Nov. 25

Daniel Craig in 'No Time to Die'
Daniel Craig stars as James Bond for the fifth and final time in "No Time to Die."

The 25th official James Bond film and last to star Daniel Craig as 007 has had no time to find an audience. Technically, "No Time to Die" was slated for a November 2019 release, but it was pushed to February after director Cari Joji Fukunaga took over for Danny Boyle, before finally settling on April 10. Thanks to the coronavirus, Britain's best-known spy now appears to have found a home on Thanksgiving weekend.

"Wonder Woman 1984"
Original Release Date: June 5
New Release Date: Aug. 14

Gal Gadot in 'Wonder Woman 1984' promotional image
Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) dispatches two antagonists in a scene from "Wonder Woman 1984."

Fans eagerly awaiting the return of Gal Gadot as DC Comics heroine Wonder Woman won't have too much of a wait. "Wonder Woman 1984" shifts from June to August.

"Black Widow"
Original Release Date: May 1
New Release Date: Nov. 6

'Black Widow' promotional image
Scarlett Johansson is back as "Black Widow."

Scarlett Johansson's turn as lead Avenger is being delayed from May to November. The summer of female superheroes will have to settle for the year of female superheroes instead.

"Spiral: From the Book of Saw"
Original Release Date: May 15
New Release Date: May 21

Chris Rock in 'Spiral' promotional image
Chris Rock stars as Detective Ezekiel "Zeke" Banks in "Spiral: From the Book of Saw."

Lionsgsate temporarily shelved and then postponed this Chris Rock-conceived story set in the same canon of the long-running "Saw" franchise. "Spiral" is now set to open a week later.

"F9"
Original Release Date: May 22
New Release Date: April 2, 2021

Vin Diesel and Michelle Williams in 'F9' promotional image
Michelle Rodriguez and Vin Diesel reprise their roles in "F9."

Universal Pictures was quick to put the brakes on a summer release for the ninth installment in the "Fast & Furious" franchise, opting to park it in the spot previously reserved for the 10th and final film in the series.

"Candyman"
Original Release Date: June 12
New Release Date: Sept. 25

'Candyman' promotional image
Oscar winner Jordan Peele provides a fresh take on the horror film "Candyman."

A remake of the 1992 horror film of the same name, "Candyman" was moved from June to late September, which could find a home with the Halloween audience.

"Top Gun: Maverick"
Original Release Date: June 24
New Release Date: Dec. 23

Tom Cruise in 'Top Gun: Maverick' promotional image
Tom Cruise plays Capt. Pete "Maverick" Mitchell in "Top Gun: Maverick."

Tom Cruise is back for another go-round as the brash Navy pilot nicknamed "Maverick" in the sequel to 1986's "Top Gun," but he'll be six months overdue.

"Minions: The Rise of Gru"
Original Release Date: July 3
New Release Date: July 2, 2021

'Minions: The Rise of Gru' promotional image
The origin story of Gru (Steve Carrell) is told in "Minions: The Rise of Gru."

The follow-up to 2015's "Minions" was slated for an Independence Day weekend release. Instead, it's been postponed 364 days.

"Ghostbusters: Afterlife"
Original Release Date: July 10
New Release Date: March 5, 2021

'Ghostbusters: Afterlife' promotional image
Phoebe (Mckenna Grace) and Trevor (Finn Wolfhard) discover a link to the first two "Ghostbusters" in director Jason Reitman's "Ghostbusters: Afterlife."

"Who ya gonna call?" Place all grievances with Sony Pictures, which shuffled the Jason Reitman-helmed resurrection of the "Ghostbusters" franchise from July to March 2021.

"Tenet"
Original Release Date: July 17
Release Date Unchanged

John David Washington in 'Tenet' promotional image
John David Washington stars in director Christopher Nolan's time-twisting thriller "Tenet."

Directed by Christopher Nolan, the time-twisting thriller remains on tap for a July 17 opening.

"Jungle Cruise"
Original Release Date: July 24
New Release Date: July 30, 2021

Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson and Emily Blunt in 'Jungle Cruise' movie promotional image
Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Emily Blunt prepare for the adventure of a lifetime in Disney's "Jungle Cruise."

Based on the popular Disney ride, "Jungle Cruise" takes Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Emily Blunt on an expedition in search of a magical tree. But that journey will have to wait more than a year now that "Mulan" took its spot in the Disney movie lineup.

"Morbius"
Original Release Date: July 31
New Release Date: March 19, 2021

Jared Leto in 'Morbius' promotional image
Jared Leto stars as Dr. Michael Morbius in "Morbius."

This "Spider-Man" spin-off starring Jared Leto didn't just get booted from its summertime spot. It's been moved completely off the 2020 calendar.

"Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway"
Original Release Date: Aug. 7
New Release Date: Jan. 15, 2021

'Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway' promotional image
Peter Rabbit (James Corden) returns in "Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway."

The British carrot thief voiced by James Cordon was supposed to hop back to theaters this summer. Instead, the sequel to the 2018 children's tale has been bumped to 2021.

"Bill & Ted Face the Music"
Original release Date: Aug. 14
Release Date Unchanged

Bill S. Preston, Esq. (Alex Winter) and Ted "Theodore" Logan (Keanu Reeves) are back after a 29-year hiatus, sans Rufus (George Carlin, who played the character in the first two "Bill & Ted" movies, died in 2008 -- bogus), and so far remain destined to return to the big screen in August. Excellent!

"The Many Saints of Newark"
Original Release Date: Sept. 25
New Release Date: March 12, 2021

Michael Gandolfini at 'The Sopranos' 20th anniversary party
In this Jan. 9, 2019 file photo, Michael Gandolfini attends HBO's "The Sopranos" 20th anniversary in New York. Gandolfini has been cast as the young Tony Soprano in the planned prequel, "The Many Saints of Newark." Gandolfini will play a younger version of the iconic character his late father James Gandolfini played on the HBO series.

The long-awaited prequel to "The Sopranos" has been postponed until 2021, giving people plenty of time to finish bingeing on the popular HBO show starring the late James Gandolfini, whose son, Michael Gandolfi, portrays a young Tony Soprano in the movie.

Of course, the pandemic has had a domino effect on all of Hollywood that will be felt for years to come. The shuffling of movies has also delayed or postponed production on several upcoming projects, including "The Batman," "Jurassic World: Dominion" and the fifth installment of the "Indiana Jones" saga, which is now scheduled for a summer 2022 release. Harrison Ford will be 80 by then. Yikes!