Opening against a superhero movie (even a lesser-known franchise like Shazam) is almost always a bad idea. Sony, of all studios, should know this by now. So we’re a little surprised it took this long for them to shuffle the release of their upcoming sci-fi movie, 65. The Adam Driver-led film was previously slated to premiere alongside Shazam! Fury of the Gods on March 17. But Deadline brings word that Sony has come to its senses and moved 65 up one week to March 10.
Written and directed by A Quiet Place co-writers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, 65 stars Driver as Mills, an astronaut whose ship crash-lands on a seemingly uncharted planet. The accident leaves him and a young girl named Koa (Ariana Greenblatt) as the only survivors. However, they soon discover that they’ve somehow traveled 65 million years into the past and landed on a prehistoric Earth, with deadly dinosaurs lurking around every corner. Faced with no other options, the pair must fend off these creatures as they desperately search for a way home.
RELATED: Sony’s New 65 Trailer Features More Prehistoric Action
This isn’t the first time that Sony has changed 65’s release date. The film was initially set to come out in May 2022 before moving up to April 2022, then back to April of this year, and eventually landing on its previous March 17 date. Deadline doesn’t give a reason for the new switch, but it’s a safe bet that Sony didn’t want to risk coming in second to Fury of the Gods.
In all fairness, the original Shazam wasn’t a huge earner when it hit theaters in 2019. But given the film’s glowing critical reception, the sequel seems poised to outshine its predecessor and most likely would have done the same to 65. The latter film might have Adam Driver and dinosaurs, but Fury of the Gods has superheroes and a dragon. So it’s really not much of a contest.
Unfortunately, 65 isn’t out of the box office woods just yet. The film will now compete against Scream VI which, in addition to being the latest installment of a beloved horror franchise, also features Jenna Ortega, whose recent surge in post-Wednesday popularity makes that film the favored choice to come out on top.
Do you think 65 can beat Scream VI at the box office in March? Let us know in the comment section below!
Recommended Reading: Jurassic Park: The Original Novel
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