Paramount has pushed back the release of two of its biggest upcoming films, “A Quiet Place Part II,” and the Skydance-produced “Top Gun Maverick,” to 2021 as part of a series of slate changes announced Thursday.
“A Quiet Place Part II was previously moved from March 20 to September 4 due to the coronavirus pandemic while “Top Gun Maverick” was moved from July 12 to December 23. “Quiet Place” is now set for release on April 23, 2021 while “Maverick” will be released on July 2, 2021. The studio’s revival of the MTV series “Jackass,” which previously held the July 2 release slot, will now be released on September 3, 2021.
“We truly believe that there is no movie-viewing experience like the one enjoyed in theatres,” said Paramount’s President of Domestic Distribution Chris Aronson, and President of International Theatrical Distribution Mark Viane. “We are committed to the theatrical experience and our exhibition partners, and want to stress that we are confident that, when the time comes, audiences everywhere will once again enjoy the singular joy of seeing Paramount films on the big screen.”
“A Quiet Place” made $340.9 million worldwide on just a $17 million budget for Paramount in 2018, with just under 45% of that total coming from international markets. The sequel brings back Blunt along with Millicent Simmonds and Noah Jupe as they continue to fight for survival against monsters that have invaded Earth, with keeping completely silent the only way to avoid detection.
The new move comes after a week in which Disney and Warner Bros. announced an indefinite postponement for “Tenet” and “Mulan,” effectively ending hopes of salvaging the summer blockbuster season as COVID-19 infections continue to surge in much of the United States. Warner Bros. says that it will announce a new release date for “Tenet” shortly, but that the film will not have a traditional global blockbuster release as American theaters remain closed while other countries, including China and Korea, begin to reopen theirs.
