On Wednesday, Paramount Pictures announced that it has postponed the release of its blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick to next year. The much-awaited sequel starring Tom Cruise was to debut this fall on November 19. However, it has been postponed to May 27, 2022, which is Memorial Day weekend so Tom Cruise fans will spend Thanksgiving weekend without watching their favorite star speed through Rome and more.
As a result of this postponement, Mission Impossible 7 which was to open on May 27 will now debut on September 30, 2022. Paramount Pictures has also delayed “Jackass Forever” which was set to be released on October 22 to February 4.
Paramount has delayed the release of Top Gun: Maverick as it hopes for a billion-dollar blockbuster release next year. It has postponed the film due to the surge of the delta strain after consultations with experts. In August, it had previewed teasers of the Tom Cruise franchise at CinemaCon. However, the movie has now been postponed due to the continuing spread of the coronavirus, which is set to affect movie theater revenues.
Earlier, Sony Pictures had postponed “Venom: Let There Be Carnage from a September to an October 15 release. After Paramount’s Wednesday announcement, Sony Pictures also announced that it would delay “Ghostbusters: Afterlife by about a week to November 19.
Before the surge of the delta variant Paramount had released “A Quiet Place Part II whose revenues were $300 million worldwide.
Pre-pandemic, fall was generally a time when Hollywood movies would see huge box office hits and packed theaters pre- and post-Thanksgiving. Last year the theaters were barely open due to several lockdowns. This year, the delta strain of the coronavirus has also affected the fall release of many movies that were scheduled to be released in theaters.
Paramount Pictures and Sony Pictures are the two major studios who have delayed the release of their movies due to the pandemic. Other studios with big budget movies are continuing with their fall releases probably the most impressive one being the James Bond franchise “No Time to Die” from MGM and United Artists. It set for an October 8 release date.
