Sony pushes back release of Morbius, Ghostbusters sequel and more
A long list of Sony's 2020 slated movies, including the Spider-Man spin-off, will not meet their initially scheduled release dates
Sony Pictures has delayed several major blockbusters as part of its response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Variety reports that three projects initially scheduled for release this summer have now been pushed back to 2021, those being Spider-Man spin-off Morbius, supernatural adventure Ghostbusters: Afterlife and family comedy Peter Rabbit 2.
The news comes shortly after England's deputy chief medical officer suggested it could be six months until life in the UK returns to normal.
Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway sees James Corden reprising his role as the title character and will now see release on 15th January 2021, a delay of four months from its previously held August date.
Ghostbusters: Afterlife will follow soon after, moving from 10th July 2020 to a new slot on 5th March 2021. The film is directed by Jason Reitman (Juno) and is set in the same continuity as the original two films, ignoring the events of the 2016 reboot starring Melissa McCarthy and Kristen Wiig.
To accommodate for this schedule change, a film adaptation of the Uncharted video game starring Tom Holland (Spider-Man: Far From Home) will be moved from 5th March 2021 to 8th October 2021. The movie is yet to start shooting.
Finally, Spider-Man spin-off Morbius, starring Jared Leto (Suicide Squad) in the title role, has been delayed by around eight months from 31st July 2020 to 19th March 2021.
The film tells the origins of a seriously ill scientist whose radical attempts to cure his own blood disease end up turning him into a vampire. Morbius is a character from Marvel Comics and the film appears to have some link to events occurring in the MCU.
Dozens of films and television shows have encountered serious delays due to the coronavirus, although some have had their release dates brought forward to keep people entertained while at home.
Authors
David Craig is the Senior Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest and greatest scripted drama and comedy across television and streaming. Previously, he worked at Starburst Magazine, presented The Winter King Podcast for ITVX and studied Journalism at the University of Sheffield.