Unhinged, a new psychological thriller starring Russell Crowe, will be one of the first movies to be released in theaters post-coronavirus and social distancing.
Solstice Studio moved the film’s September 4 release date up to July 4 weekend, hoping that the stay at home orders will be lifted in time for the summer holiday. Being one of the first films to have a theatrical release post-social distancing could be great for the studio, but depending on whether the national curve has been flattened, it does come at considerable risk.
Solstice chairman/CEO Mark Gill gave his thoughts on moving Unhinged‘s release date to Deadline: “When we green lit this film, I probably figured that July 4th weekend and Christmas would be the two least likely slots. We were sitting on September 4 and then COVID-19 happened, and A Quiet Place 2 moved out of its original slot and landed on our date. When you are in a speedboat and a giant ship is coming at you, you better move out of the way. We looked at the rest of the year, fall/winter and spring 2021. The release schedule was already crowded, and when you add all the films that have been delayed, it made it think that maybe we go sooner.”
The July 4 opening weekend, while a gamble, could bring Solstice tons of revenue, provided that moviegoers are itching to get back into the theater.
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