The Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect” is moving from Jan. 15, 2021 to Aug. 13, 2021, while the “Tomb Raider” sequel is now unset, MGM announced on Tuesday.
MGM believes “Respect” to be a strong awards contender and is looking at previous Oscar Best Picture nominated films like “BlacKkKlansman,” “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” and “The Help,” all summer releases, for guidance.
Of course, theater closures due to the coronavirus pandemic are also forcing many studios to shuffle their release calendar. “Respect” was previously pushed Oct. 9 of this year to Dec. 25, with a wide release on Jan. 15.
Liesl Tommy is directing “Respect” that stars Jennifer Hudson as the famous singer. Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Mary J. Blige and Tituss Burgess also star. The film follows Aretha’s rise as a singer, first in her father’s church choir, to how she eventually attains international superstardom.
The sequel to “Tomb Raider” was announced in 2019 with Ben Wheatley directing. It was previously set for a March 19 release date.
“Tomb Raider” originally hit the screens back in 2001 with “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider,” starring Angelina Jolie. That film also received a sequel, and both the films and the video game franchise are about an independent adventurer traversing the jungle and ancient ruins while evading attackers and dangerous traps. The most recent film found Croft tracking down her missing father on a remote island.
The 2018 “Tomb Raider” starred Alicia Vikander alongside Dominic West, Walton Goggins, Daniel Wu and Kristin Scott Thomas.