Prince Caspian to release in Summer 2008

[Sarangel]

From Reuters:

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - The Walt Disney Co has postponed the release of "Prince Caspian" -- the sequel to its hit film "The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" -- to summer of 2008 from the 2007 holiday season, a company spokesman said on Wednesday.

The delay was meant to give director Andrew Adamson more time to work on the special-effects-laden film, which is based on the children's book by C.S. Lewis, spokesman Dennis Rice said.

"Narnia," released last holiday season, became Disney's top-grossing live-action film of all time. It has grossed about $742 million worldwide, according to boxofficemojo.com, a movie tracking Web site.

Anyone heard why they're really moving it back?

 

[Another Voice]

The “real” reason is that Sony Pictures just set 12/08/07 (one week before Narnia) as the release date for The Water Horse – which, like Prince, is being made by Walden Media. Rather than having two films fightin it out for the same market, Disney moved.

The buzz is also that Walden thought summer would be a better release for Prince; the sequel will now be an “event film” thanks to the huge success of Wardrode. It’s likely that the shortened holiday season kept $100 million from the first film’s box office. Disney, for its part, is trying to protect it summer releases for Pixar animated films.

In reality this far out, it’s very possible release schedules could change again.

 

[MJMcBride]

But the holiday season is event time too. Harry Potter always comes out at that time. Its not like it was scheuled for an October or March release.

 

[dbm20th]

It certainly is not anything resembling unusual to think that an effects loaded film like this would miss its target date. But I think AV may be right about this one. The Water Horse and Prince would certianly errode their own base.

And yes the holiday season is a huge time for release of films, but not normally a blockbuster, but an oscar-possibility.

 

[Another Voice]

It's all to do with kids getting out of school. "Family" movies, the one where mom, dad and the kids show up to, do well over the holidays because it's one of the few times in the year that everyone in the family has time off.

"Family movies" aimed at childern who are old enough to see on their own (like Narnia) do better in the summer because a) the kids are out of school for a longer period and can see the movie over and over and over again and b) parents are looking for any reason to get rid of the kids for a couple hours during the day.

The buzz is that Narnia was hurt becasue it didn't develop a repeat veiwing cycle becasue all the kids had to go back to school. Had the film been released in the summer, more kids would have gone back for a second. thrid and fourth showing. It was also hurt because it lack some adult appeal and didn't capture the mom-dad-kids crowd. In the summer, the kids would have gone on their own instead of being told "we'll see it when it comes to Blockbuster".

 

[EUROPACL]

But the holiday season is event time too. Harry Potter always comes out at that time. Its not like it was scheuled for an October or March release.

No not really.

Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone- November 16, 2001
Chamber of Secerets - November 15 2002
Prisoner of Azkaban - June , 4 2004
Goblet of Fire - November 12, 2005
Order of the Phoenix - July 13, 2007

 

[MJMcBride]

OK. I thought all the Potter's came out in November, but like the Meatloaf song says "three out of five ain't bad". Anywho, I think Narnia appeals to the same crowd as Harry Potter. In other words, holiday and summer is about the same. But I agree with everyone else on this point anyway, they ordinarily keep films away from each other.