Numerous Principal Debuts Encounter Postponements

The resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic during the warmer months has turned out to be a significant downer for the film industry. Many prominent film labels were anticipating a return of audiences to movie theaters by this time, all geared up to switch back to exclusive theatrical showings instead of simultaneous theatrical/streaming releases. Unfortunately, owing to sluggish vaccination campaigns and the delta variant, that return to normalcy hasn’t materialized, leaving uncertainty regarding when it will be safe to head out to cinemas once more.

Consequently, several major cinematic releases have experienced setbacks in their release schedules in a bid to attract moviegoers back to theaters. The most recent instance of this unfolded just yesterday when Paramount Pictures revealed that their next two highly-awaited films, Top Gun: Maverick and Mission: Impossible 7, have both been postponed. Originally slated for a November 19 debut, aligning with the Thanksgiving holiday weekend, Top Gun will now occupy the spot initially designated for Mission: Impossible on Memorial Day 2022. On the other hand, Mission: Impossible has been rescheduled to September 30, 2022.

Paramount has altered the release dates for multiple upcoming films:

– #TopGun: Maverick now premiering on May 27, 2022
– #MissionImpossible now set for Sept. 30, 2022
– #JackassForever now debuting on Feb. 4, 2022 pic.twitter.com/lPAaYjWkgt

— Rotten Tomatoes (@RottenTomatoes) September 1, 2021

In addition to these major productions, several smaller films have also been compelled to reschedule. The upcoming Jackass installment, Jackass Forever, was originally set to hit theaters on October 22 but is now postponed to February 4, 2022. Likewise, the live-action movie adaptation of Clifford has been removed from its initial fall release slot, with its new release date yet to be confirmed.

Due to these various postponements, Paramount currently lacks any film releases scheduled for the remainder of 2021. Their next planned release is the reboot of Scream in January (although its status there remains uncertain). During this interim period, the studio will have to rely on other revenue streams, such as the Paramount+ streaming service, to sustain their operations.