The X-Men movies started back in 2000, and has withstood the test of time as cinematic universes and comic book movies have become commonplace. But the iconic franchise is now in a state of flux, as a few movies' release dates were recently adjusted. Additionally, the impending merger between Disney and Fox makes the future of the X-Men unclear. These unknowns were highlighted when the release date for Dark Phoenix was delayed a series of months, just one day after the film's first trailer finally arrived. Producer Simon Kinberg is attached to direct, and recently explained why Dark Phoenix's release date was delayed, saying:
Some of the trailers had 'Coming Soon' on them and some of them said 'February 14th'. It was a date, February 14th, that we initially liked for the movie but when we realized that we weren't gonna have the visual effects ready to release it globally the way we wanted to, and the Gambit date opened up because it wasn't gonna be ready for that June 7th date. We looked at that date versus the February 14th date, the studio did and we did, we felt like that June date was a bigger opportunity for us globally. More screens, more IMAX screens, a better chance to play in China where these movies have a massive following. What we found when we released the trailer was that 44, 45 million views of the trailer were in China alone... Specific for us, it is an opportunity to be a bigger movie day-and-date globally.
It looks like there are some big picture reasons for the Dark Phoenix's delay, as well as some logistical issues, like having the time to render all of the CGI needed for the project. So while fans may have some trepidation, Simon Kinberg and the folks at 20th Century Fox seem to be in control of the situation. Or at the very least, the narrative of the schedule change.
Simon Kinberg's comments to Collider make a ton of great points, which help to illuminate the process of filmmaking and marketing. Fans have been eager for footage of Dark Phoenix, which the studio eventually delivered last week. But information has been limited for a reason, including when it comes to a release date. And since Gambit hasn't even begun filming, 20th Century Fox had a slot to put Dark Phoenix that allowed for work to be completed on Simon Kinberg's upcoming directorial debut. Plus, the delay will allow a concentrated release in both domestic and international markets.
That being said, the reshoots are going to inspire some dread by comic book fans, who aren't sure if Dark Phoenix will be up to snuff. X-Men: Apocalypse ended up being a disappointment, so the pressure is on to for the franchise to deliver a win. It's unclear if Marvel will keep the same cast when it eventually gains access to the X-Men characters, so there's a lot to figure out.
Dark Phoenix will arrive in theaters on June 7th 2019. In the meantime, check out our 2018 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
