Lionsgate has made the decision to move the highly anticipated reboot of The Crow, directed by Rupert Sanders and starring Bill Skarsgård, from its original release date of June 7 to August 23. This new date will see The Crow going up against Amazon MGM's Zoë Kravitz's feature directorial debut, Blink Twice, as well as Sony's Kendrick Brothers' faith-based title The Forge. The Crow, based on the original graphic novel by James O'Barr, follows Soulmates Eric Draven (Skarsgård) and Shelly Webster (FKA twigs) who are brutally murdered when the demons of her dark past catch up with them. Given the chance to save his true love by sacrificing himself, Eric sets out to seek merciless revenge on their killers, traversing the worlds of the living and the dead to put the wrong things right. Danny Huston also stars in the film.
Lionsgate and Twisted Pictures' Saw XI, part of the popular horror franchise, is still in development to ensure its perfection. The film was originally scheduled for release on September 27 but has now been moved to September 26, 2025. Produced by Oren Koules and Mark Burg, the Saw franchise, consisting of ten movies, has amassed over $1 billion in revenue.
Taking over Saw XI's original release date of September 27 is the psychological thriller Never Let Go, starring Halle Berry. Directed by Alexandre Aja and produced by Shawn Levy, Dan Cohen, Dan Levine, and Aja, the film follows a mother and her twin sons as they try to protect themselves from the evil that has taken over the world. Needing to stay connected at all times, even tethering themselves with ropes, they cling to one another, urging each other to never let go. But when one of the boys questions if the evil is real, the ties that bind them together are severed, triggering a terrifying fight for survival. This remains the only studio wide release on September 27-29.
Moving a week earlier from November 15 to November 8 is Lionsgate/Kingdom Story's feature take on The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. The decision to shift the release date was made to give the family movie, which is in the spirit of A Christmas Story, more playtime during the holiday season. Directed by Dallas Jenkins and co-adapted by Darin McDaniel & Platte Clark, as well as Ryan Swanson, the film stars Judy Greer, Pete Holmes, Elizabeth Tabish, and Lauren Graham. The movie follows the Herdmans, who are considered the worst kids in the history of the world. However, this Christmas, they take over their local church's Pageant and might unwittingly teach a shocked community the true meaning of Christmas.
With these release date changes announced by Lionsgate, it is clear that the studio is strategic in choosing when to release its films. By moving The Crow to a later date, the studio may be aiming to avoid direct competition with other major releases and maximize the film's box office potential. Similarly, by shifting Saw XI and Never Let Go to different release dates, Lionsgate is ensuring that each film has the best chance of success in the market. The decision to move The Best Christmas Pageant Ever a week earlier indicates that the studio is confident in the film's potential to perform well during the competitive holiday season.
These release date changes and previews at CinemaCon provide insight into Lionsgate's current and future film strategy. By carefully selecting release dates and making adjustments as needed, the studio is positioning itself for success in the ever-changing landscape of the entertainment industry.