Some films just seem destined to never see the light of day. Amityville: The Awakening feels like one of those movies, as the horror thriller has yet again been yanked from the release schedule, just a few weeks shy of its June 30th release date. If you've got a betting pool on when this film will actually make its way to movie screens, you undoubtedly have some frustrated emails in your inbox right about now.
For those of you keeping score, this is the fifth release date that has been set and then cancelled for Amityville: The Awakening. Despite the star power of Jennifer Jason Leigh, Bella Thorne, and Gotham's Cameron Monaghan, the most recent entry in the long-lingering franchise based on a true story has found itself without any concrete plans for release yet again. Seeing as the film has been sitting finished for quite some time, and was initially supposed to be released on January 2, 2015, this is a bit troubling to hear.
With this many release date targets missed, it's starting to look like Amityville: The Awakening may never find itself in theaters, at all. There just doesn't seem to be a good spot to release this film in, as the box office is ever increasingly competitive, and 2017 is already packed with films large and small that are waiting to make their marks. Not to mention, if those behind the film's production really wanted to capitalize on having Bella Thorn and Cameron Monaghan's names on this film, an earlier release would have been better, particularly when it comes to Monaghan's brand recognition.
Right about now, Dimension Pictures and Blumhouse, the studios behind Amityville: The Awakening, might be thinking about another way to release the product, without the money needed to properly push a theatrical release. The film market certainly has changed to the point where this movie could be offered as a potential exclusive to a streaming giant like Netflix or Hulu. Though if the studios are still intent on letting this film hit the big screen, there could be plans for a limited release platform, followed by a huge push onto VOD. This wouldn't completely write off the film's chances of success, while also limiting any potential fallout. But as of Deadline's most recent reporting, Amityville is officially floating in limbo, with no further plans on the docket at this moment.
Still, Amityville: The Awakening does have a trailer, and by what's shown so far, this shocker could make a tidy sum on a weekend starved for horror. If the studios decide to retool the film back to its original R-rated form, those chances increase, as relieving it from the stigma of PG-13 horror just might help. You can see it in the trailer below, if only to remind yourself that this movie still exists.
For now, we'll just have to wait and see what happens next with Amityville: The Awkakening, and as soon as we hear anything new, we'll report back as soon as possible. Though if you're one of those betting pool folks we mentioned earlier, put out money down for a streaming VOD and limited theatrical bet.
