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Paramount Delays the Soloist and Defiance
I am running out of analogies about how unreliable release dates are. That is how common this has become. Even I, the master wordsmith that I am have NOTHING left to poke fun at studios with witty pop culture references for their loose grasp of a release schedule. Perhaps they forgot to set their clocks forward at daylight savings day and everything has been a mess since. Much like that reference was just a mess.
Paramount is said to be juggling around their holiday season releases with little logic or explaination.
Paramount Pictures is fiddling with its holiday release plans at the eleventh hour, delaying the wide release of true-life drama “The Soloist,” starring Robert Downey Jr. and Jamie Foxx, and the Daniel Craig-toplined Nazi escape film “Defiance” until the first quarter.
I do not understand why they would move the Soloist. There is a LOT of Oscar Buzz about this film, and releasing it for the holiday season is perfect.
I am so looking forward to this movie. Downey is already hot this year, and for him to step up to a solid dramatic piece while everyone is still paying attention to him puts him in a perfect place for an Oscar nod. We all know he is capable.
Unlike other delay concerns that make me worry about the quality of a film, these movies appear to already be in the can. Done. Advertised to be released in a month or two. Now Defiance is still going to sneak in under the finish line for 2008, but the Soloist is clearly pushed another 3 months into oh9.
I just shake my head and wonder why. WHY Paramount… why?
I think the writers strike had a bigger impact on them than they would like to admit. After the strike had ended, I remember a few sources saying that 2008 would be fine for movies because they were already under production, but summer 2009 and Holiday 2009 could be hit hard. I think these studios are realizing that now.
So, they can “fast track” a few flicks for Holiday 2009. And as far as Summer 2009, they simply “move” the bigger films from Holiday 2008. Movies get delayed all the time, so i guess they figure if you have interest, you will see it whenever it comes out.
TO be honest, that works with most people. I am a HUGE movie guy and follow release dates with anticipation, but i have found out that most people DO NOT. I have been at work and have said to some coworkers “Wow that new James Bond flick looks awesome.” and i get responses like “Yeah, i havent seen that yet.” (((When it isnt even out for 2 months))) and “I know… that comes out next summer right?” (((And i am like… um… no, next month.)))
So it seems as much as I care, many other people dont.
I am disappointed.
In fact, I…am…really, really angry.
The Soloist does look like it was meant for Oscar talk, and if not that, I would think they would have the guts to release Defiance and give Daniel Craig a possible shot at best actor. My only thoughts on the latter was Craig’s 007 film would have been released a month prior, and its a WWII action drama competing with Valkyire. That’s an estimated guess.
But Soloist…is there a chance Robert Downey Jr might get nom’d for his other roles through the past year? Iron Man might be a longshot, but I can totally buy a supporting actor in Tropic Thunder (or even Charlie Bartlett).
I don’t like it when studios shuffle release dates too much. The films themselves may be fine but if nobody can find them, nobody will see them.
sucks im lookin forward to the soloist, like it when
FOXX IS ACTUALLY SERIOUS
Sorry, but The Soloist looks corny as all get out. Perhaps they moved it because the studio doesn’t think that the film is all that good. Maybe they are bummed that the trailer hasn’t gotten much of a reaction from folks. But it’s dumb to slam the brakes on the Downey Express. They could have capitalized on the goodwill that this guy has garnered this year and had a “Pursuit of Happyness”-style hit on their hands.
Defiance looked great. What is with all these deaths, push-backs, and other bullcrap happening in 2008?