Like a falling domino sparking a chain reaction, Sony Pictures has shifted the release dates of two major tentpole releases in the wake of Star Wars: Episode VIII slipping to December 15, 2017.
First up, the good news: Jon Watts’ long-awaited Spider-Man reboot has been brought forward by a full three weeks, meaning that the Tom Holland-fronted standalone pic will open on July 7, 2017. It was previously slated for a release on July 28, 2017.
What that means for the company’s long-gestating Jumanji reboot is a further delay in production. Originally pegged to make its bow on Christmas Day of this year, Jake Kasdan’s retelling of Chris Van Allsburg’s famous children’s novel slots into the spot left vacant by our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man: July 28, 2017.
Another tentpole to be affected by today’s reshuffling is Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg’s Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. In tandem with news that Disney has pushed Rian Johnson’s Episode VIII, the maritime adventure has now set sail from its original July 7 date – thereby allowing Spider-Man to fill the gap – to settle for May 26, 2017.
In light of today’s news, it looks as though Tom Holland’s standalone debut will come a little earlier than expected. Following an appearance in this year’s Civil War, the actor will really flex his superhero powers when Jon Watts’ Spider-Man scurries into theaters on July 7, 2017. Jumanji, on the other hand, will open a few weeks later on July 28, 2017.