The shifting release dates due to the coronavirus pandemic have impacted yet another studio. Warner Brothers announced a number of changes to its upcoming film slate today, starting with the highly anticipated film The Batman starring Robert Pattinson. Originally set for release on June 25, 2021, the film will now open on October 1, 2021. Two other DC Comics properties saw their release dates changed as well, with Shazam! 2 moved from April 1 to November 4, 2022 and The Flash moved up to June 3, 2022 from July 1.
Other Warner Brothers films were also impacted, including some major awards contenders. The Many Saints of Newark, a prequel to the hit series The Sopranos, will now be released March 12, 2021. King Richard, a biopic of Richard Williams (father of Venus and Serena) starring Will Smith has been moved to November 19, 2021. A currently untitled Elvis Presley film directed by Baz Luhrmann and starring Austin Butler and Tom Hanks will be released November 5, 2021.
Two huge tentpoles for the studio that thus far have remained on the schedule for 2020 are Wonder Woman 1984 and Tenet, the new film from legendary director Christopher Nolan. Wonder Woman 1984 is set to open August 14 and Tenet is still planning on opening on July 17. It remains to be seen if these dates will change as most summer blockbusters have already claimed new opening dates at this point.
