When Disney failed to announce any information about the forthcoming Star Wars sequel at the D23 convention fans were more than a little ticked off. Greeted with groans and booing from the audience, Disney’s lack of news went down about as well as a Jar Jar Binks spin-off.
Previously it had been speculated that the new movie would be released on the traditional May fourth date (may the force be with you, May the fourth get it), however it appears that Disney are planning something different this time. According to Badass Digest the next installment in the iconic franchise will be in cinemas mid December to ease a potentially overcrowded blockbuster season.
This would mark the first ever Star Wars film to be released outside of the summer, there’s no word from Disney confirming this but as summer 2015 is already looking busy with the likes of Avengers: Age of Ultron, Terminator 5, Pirates 5, Superman Vs Batman and Jurassic Park IV, so a Christmas release date could actually be a smart decision.
One thing we’ve learned from summer 2013 is that too many releases can do more harm than good, RIPD and The Lone Ranger being two high profile flops with Red 2, Pacific Rim (a monster hit overseas) and many more all performing below expectations domestically. The Christmas season has done wonders for tentpole franchises with Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit all doing big business over the holiday season.
Currently there’s no confirmation from Disney that this release change is correct, but as no date had been given to start with there’s no cause for alarm. The extra time will give JJ Abrams and his team added months to work on the post-production or even delay the start of production to develop the script further. Some doom mongers might read too much into this as a sign that things are not well behind the scenes, Abrams made headlines last month when rumours surfaced he was quitting the film due to the tight turnaround Disney demanded. The mouse house was quick to respond and a spokesman stated;
"There is no truth to the rumour. JJ is having a great time working on the script and is looking forward to going into production next year."
Original Star Wars cast members Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford will all reprise their roles in the still untitled new movie.