Disney isn't just shaking up its leadership ranks, it’s also shifting the release dates of some of its major films.
On the same day that the studio appointed Alan Horn as its new chief, Disney said it was moving the premieres of “The Lone Ranger” and “Thor 2.”
In the case of “The Lone Ranger,” Disney will push its Johnny Depp vehicle back from May 31, 2013 to July 3, 2013, trotting it out against “Despicable Me 2.”
Also read: Disney Chooses Alan Horn as New Studio Chief
In turn, the studio will move its sequel to “Thor” forward a few days from November 15, 2013 to November 8, 2013. That gives it a wider berth from “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” which hits theaters two weeks later.
The studio also said it was pushing the debut of Steven Spielberg’s “Robopocalypse” back nearly a year. The futuristic thriller, which Disney will distribute as part of its pact with DreamWorks, was originally set to premiere on July 3, 2013, the date now owned by "The Long Ranger." It will new be released on April 25, 2014, which currently has no other films slated to debut.