Solo Star Wars Films: December releases from now on or no?

[writer0327]

Should Lucasfilm just stick with the December time frame? I say yes.

Even if Disney has another major release during that month (Like this Mary Poppins film coming uo), it seems like the "May Minefield" is too risky for a wide release, especially once you've already cornered the month of December as your own and produced three straight $1B+ films in 3 consecutive years.

I know there are ALL sorts of other factors to consider with Solo, but it seems this was a no-brainer from the start. Was it just an experiment to see what kind of legs SW could get during the summer?

 

[mclay18]

I don't know if they should do Christmas for every release from now on, but Disney picked the wrong date for this film. If they wanted to keep Solo for a summer 2018 release, they should've held it off for August, which has virtually no competition and given Disney more time to market it. And if Christmas wasn't available for a respective year, they could easily release in October or November.

There's no pleasing some fans. When Disney scheduled Episode VII for December 2015, there was numerous b**ching that "it should be a summer release!" And they still griped even after it was a box office blow out. Well now people are used to the franchise being a Christmas gift, and Memorial Day is no longer the weekend moviegoers associate with Star Wars.

 

[TheVileOne]

Not necessarily, but they should've delayed Solo for sure.

 

[Grootster]

No, I just don't like December releases for any movie. That time of year is already so busy, I prefer movies to be released in summer (or even like February or March) when nothing else is really going on.

 

[Mandon Knight]

The traditionalist in me says no, May is Star Wars month, but I can also see that it's nice to have a SW film treat to look forward too over the Christmas break, which has been the case these last few years. Am torn.

 

[titansupes]

December is better. It was stupid of them to change, and I've been saying so for years.

That said, the Avatar sequels have already locked in December from 2020 or so. I'm no fan of the first movie, but we'd be fools to underestimate Cameron and all the factors that marketing department can play with.

So December might not work for a few years there.

 

[Brother Jack]

In the case of Solo it's pretty obvious they should've delayed it to December. I think they've built a momentum with Christmastime releases that they were unwise to break. Tradition be damned, the new era of SW has carved out its own real estate.

 

[writer0327]

In the case of Solo it's pretty obvious they should've delayed it to December. I think they've built a momentum with Christmastime releases that they were unwise to break. Tradition be damned, the new era of SW has carved out its own real estate.

This is how I see it as well. It's a new era for SW and for movies. Back in the 80s and 90s a summer release for a film like Solo would have been a no brainer but now I think film franchises like SW have staked out territory and they should hold tight to that December tomeframe,zlest another franchise comes in and snags it.

 

[Aximili86]

I think it would have worked well here, give some breathing room between the saga movie mere months ago and this coming out.

But generally speaking, I dunno. May's probably fine generally speaking for anthology movies. Just don't release one every-other year, maybe space them out by another 12 months.

 

[TheVileOne]

Until Force Awakens, Star Wars movies were never released in December. It was always mid-to-late May.

I don't think it's a December or bust issues. It should be flexible that they can keep the periods open. However, I do think SOLO should've been delayed.

 

[Iceman]

I prefer December for Star Wars every year. Marvel have taken over the May spot.

 

[Filmfan93]

Solo definitely should have been delayed until December. That month already has the special Christmas SW feeling attached. Since 2015, people have anticipated a new SW film as much as Christmas.

Solo had a lot of competition in May with Infinity War and Deadpool 2. Jurassic World is also released next week here in the UK and that will take a chunk of its BO, too. Best scenario would have been to leave it until December, so it can build more hype and breathe after TLJ.

And if that was the case, it would have been perfect its teaser trailer to debut in April with Infinity War and the second trailer somewhere around October (same strategy as the last 3 SW films). Hype would have been much bigger.

 

[Iceman]

People were getting used to the idea of 1 Star Wars film a year and it was still in the introductory risk phase of being implemented. To move suddenly to 5 months (even though the gap would then be longer to IX) was a step too far too early.

 

[Loki882]

Another problem is that they seem to not want to market two SW films at the same time. And when one is coming out only 5 months or so after the other, that's an issue. Plus May is usually the start of the summer blockbuster season, so any SW film will probably have competition (Solo had Infinity War and Deadpool 2 still in theatres for example). So yeah, December is a better bet imo, or at least move it until later in the year on some level.

 

[TheVileOne]

I agree with FilmFan93 and Iceman, but I don't think it's the sole reason that SOLO did poorly.

So if they don't want to market two at the same time, then one year is really a good cushion to avoid cannibalization.

It wasn't even six months between Last Jedi and SOLO. Star Wars isn't like Marvel IMO. I think you need that rest in-between.

 

[AVEITWITHJAMON]

They should have stuck to what had worked previously and released this in December. TLJ was still in theatres when they started marketing Solo and I think it had an impact.

 

[Sithborg]

Definitely at least 12 months between releases.

 

[TheVileOne]

Well the good news for Disney is the next one isn't for a year and a half, so they have time.

 

[Marvolo]

They need to try again in May. Or some other summer month. Then after Episode 9 they need to do two films in 2020 or 2021. A summer and winter release and see how that goes. Theyve got too much star wars planned to keep releasing one film a year forever.