Sony’s Columbia Pictures is delaying the release of Roland Emmerich’s 2012 from July 10 to Nov. 13, two weekends before the lucrative Thanksgiving session.
“We’ve had such success with the James Bond films in November that we wanted a big tentpole film in that slot this year,” Sony distribution president Rory Bruer said Tuesday. “We’ve got so many films in the summer that this is the perfect answer to that.”
The studio has now slotted its tentpole against two wide openers — Warner Bros.’ Sherlock Holmes, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, and Fox’s Dwayne Johnson comedy The Tooth Fairy.
Sony executives said 2012 could have been completed by its summer date, though the new date will add some extra time for the effects-laden production.
The move leaves the July 10th date with only the romantic comedy I Love You Beth Cooper, starring Hayden Panettiere, but we expect another release to join the film on that date soon.
