Release date news continues to pour out of 20th Century Fox today, now that the studio has pegged Alita: Battle Angel for an arrival on July 20, 2018.
Word of Robert Rodriguez’s manga adaptation nailing down a launch date arrives hot on the heels of Fox assigning release dates for Shane Black’s Predator (February 9, 2018), Murder on the Orient Express (November 22, 2017), Red Sparrow (November 10, 2017), two untitled Fox/Marvel projects – likely Deadpool 2 and Josh Boone’s New Mutants – and with a revised production timeline for Maze Runner: The Death Cure. In light of Dylan O’Brien’s set injury, expect that YA sequel to make a beeline for theaters on January 12, 2018 – almost a full year its initial release window.
Speaking of all things Maze Runner, it’s understood that Rosa Salazar of The Scorch Trials has all but closed a deal to headline the sci-fi feature, fending off heated competition from the likes of Maika Monroe (It Follows), Zendaya (Spider-Man: Homecoming) and Bella Thorne. For now, there’s little-to-no information regarding the extended cast for Alita: Battle Angel, but expect all that to change soon now that 20th Century Fox and Rodriguez have a finish line in sight.
Having spent the past half-decade languishing in development, at a time when James Cameron was originally in line to direct, Alita: Battle Angel will finally grace the silver screen on July 20, 2018. What’s more, expect casting news to surface over the coming months and surely – surely – Fox will take heed of the whitewashing backlash directed at Paramount’s own manga adaptation, Ghost in the Shell.
