Fox will release “Poltergeist,” its reboot of the classic horror film, on Friday, Feb. 13, 2015, the studio said Tuesday.
It seems an ideal date for a PG-rated chiller – a Friday the 13th on Valentine’s Day weekend — but it will have to go against Universal’s “50 Shades of Grey,” which is already set to debut that weekend. Paramount is rolling out the animated “Spongebob Squarepants 2” on that weekend, too.
The studio originally had “The Longest Ride” on that date, but “Poltergeist” should be a better counter to “50 Shades,” so it pushed the romantic tale based on a Nicholas Sparks bestseller to April 3, the Easter weekend. It will go against “Insidious 3” and the sci-film “Passengers” on that date.
Also read: ‘Poltergeist’ Remake Lands Female Lead in Rosemarie DeWitt
The studio also moved “Night at the Museum 3” up a week, from Christmas Day to Dec. 19 of this year, dated the R-rated comedy “Let’s Be Cops” for Aug. 13 and set its second and untitled “Planet of the Apes” sequel for July 29, 2016.
Sam Raimi will produce and Gil Kenan will direct “Poltergeist,” a remake of the 1982 film directed by Tobe Hooper and produced by Steven Spielberg. Sam Rockwell, Rosemarie DeWitt and Jared Harris will star in the new film from MGM and Fox 2000.
Also read: ’21 Jump Street’ Villain Rob Riggle Joins Fox Comedy ‘Let’s Be Cops’ (Exclusive)
Director Shawn Levy and star Ben Stiller return for the comedy “Night at the Museum 3.” It will face some real competition from “The Hobbit: There and Back,” the finale of Peter Jackson’s trilogy, and Sony’s “Annie” remake, starring Quvenzhane Wallis.
“Let’s Be Cops” features TV stars Jake Johnson (“New Girls”) and Damon Wayans Jr. (“Happy Endings”) as friends who pretend to police officers. Andy Garcia, Nina Dobrey and Rob Riggle co-star, Luke Greenfield directs and co-wrote the script with Nicholas Thomas. “Expendables 3′ is set for that date as well.