The Punisher Pushed Back - December 5th

[Gotham]

Superhero Hype! has learned that Lionsgate has pushed back Punisher: War Zone three months - from September 12 to December 5. The only other movie on the new date so far is the Ron Howard-directed drama Frost/Nixon, but that is currently only scheduled for a limited release on Dec. 5.

Directed by Lexi Alexander, "War Zone" stars Ray Stevenson, Dominic West, Doug Hutchinson, Colin Salmon, Wayne Knight, Dash Mihok and Julie Benz.

Still anxiously awaiting the film.

 

[CASk8er87]

wow this is actually suprising. A couple possibilities come to mind from this:

1) Pushing the movie back for more advertising time?
2) Some possible scene re-shoots?
3) I was going to say more time for FX, but i dont think this movie would need an extra 3 months for FX..

I think we need a comment either from Lionsgate or Lexi to clarify the reasoning from pushing this movie back 3 months...

...all in all this kinda bums me out i was hoping on seeing this as a birthday present to myself (even though its 8 days after my bday, but still)

 

[screams]

Kind of disappointing... but if it means the movie will be better, and not rushed, so be it.

 

[Rezzo]

Well now this sucks.

 

[FireandIce213]

Well, in its original release date the movie would've had to go up against DeNiro and Pacino in Righteous Kill...I think this could help the quality of the movie but unfortunately it could mean we wait longer for a teaser.

 

[Gotham]

Well, in its original release date the movie would've had to go up against DeNiro and Pacino in Righteous Kill...I think this could help the quality of the movie but unfortunately it could mean we wait longer for a teaser.

Does Righteous Kill look even remotely decent to anyone?

 

[FireandIce213]

I'd see it...and a movie with Deniro and Pacino is tough competition no matter how you look at it, especially considering the cast of Warzone while solid isnt a cast everybody knows.

 

[Spade]

It's moves like this that make me wonder if the script is any good. The last gory film I saw pushed back 'til December was AVP:R, and looking back I see why they did that. This delay's giving me a bad vibe.

 

[cthulhu]

that sucks but we would get it later in the UK anyhow we'll have to wait till 2009 now...

 

[norse_sage]

There is no reason to worry about this, Marvel and LGF are doing the only sensible thing.

Three big movies claimed 09.12.08:
"Righteous kill" with Robert De Niro and Al Pacino
"Burn after reading" with George Clooney and Brad Pitt
"Punisher War Zone".

The above also represents the order of the boxoffice winners that weekend. With that competetion, the Punisher might open in the third spot abd be lucky if it makes as much as 10 mill over the weekend - which would kill off the franchise.

In 2004, The Punisher opened in direct competition with Kill Bill 2, which slaughtered it. Had LGF moved the releasedate to a more suitable spot, it might have enjoyed a 25 - 30 mill opening weekend. As it was, it did half that.

This time, the studio has learned, and moved the opening date to stear clear of the worst competition. This also has the added benefit of giving almost three more months to tweak the movie.

Sure, the additional wait sucks, but it'll be worth it, as well be treated to a better movie when it does open, and sequels suddenly look a whole lot more likely.

 

[citizenpain]

the only reason lionsgate is moving the film is because that weekend has too many releases. i doubt it has anything to do with the quality of the film, more like they learned their lesson with the 04 punisher and kill bill and won't be making the same mistake twice. i don't even mind waiting a lil bit longer for the movie itself, the only thing that sucks is that now we might have to wait even longer for a teaser/trailer.

 

[Hypestyle]

dang, that sucks terribly.. I wonder what else was scheduled that week in september?

I just hope there are no big snowstorms that week, like what happened with Daredevil.. and hopefully nothing else major gets scheduled for that day..

sigh.. the politics of still dealing with other studios..

The movie had better be 2+ hours long..

Frank deserves movie respect.. it needs to be THE GODFATHER with a lot more shooting..

 

[Wolverine11222]

George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, 50 Cent,

Those are big names, even if Warzone was the better film, it could've been smashed at the box office. To make up for this set back, Lionsgate should give us a trailer soon to hold our interest

 

[Compi716]

Oh, well.

 

[Nirvana]

Hmmm, I am looking forward to the film, too bad it was pushed. Longer wait. Oh well, December is a better time to release a film rather than September any ways.

 

[Balthus Dire]

At least it didn't get pushed back to February. Then we'd know it'd have to suck.

 

[Brendan]

If it does get a limited release, it better open up in a theater near me.

 

[Colossus24]

It could have also had to do with the fact that Pacino and De Niro play detectives investigating a vilgilante serial killer (and it wouldn't necessarily surprise me if one of them turned out to be said killer in some twist.)

 

[StylishHokie21]

That's too bad.

 

[rubyhope]

Its ********! They didn't have to push it 3 freaking months I better hear a good damn reason for the push because it blows when this is movie is the only real movie I looked forward to seeing and now I have to wait even freaking longer.

 

[Gotham]

Its ********! They didn't have to push it 3 freaking months I better hear a good damn reason for the push because it blows when this is movie is the only real movie I looked forward to seeing and now I have to wait even freaking longer.

I'm sure we'll be feeling differently when the new slew of pictures arrive.

 

[rubyhope]

I'm sure we'll be feeling differently when the new slew of pictures arrive.

I extremely hope so

 

[LastSunrise1981]

Remember V For Vendetta was pushed back as well and look how great the film is.

Pushing back Punisher gives them more time to reshoot some scenes that can help the quality of the film itself.

 

[Balthus Dire]

Still waiting on a damn trailer.

 

[Gotham]

Still waiting on a damn trailer.

I don't think we'll be seeing one until late May.