David Fincher’s forthcoming Aaron Sorkin scripted, walk-and-talking drama about the founding of Facebook (**yawn**) “The Social Network” has quietly moved its release date to October 1st according to Box Office Mojo.
The move, seems like an odd one, as it will put the film right up against the David Gordon Green medieval stoner comedy “Your Highness” and the not-approved-by-fanboys-remake “Let Me In.” However, looking at the rest of October, it’s an extremely crowded field. On October 8th, the Kevin James comedy “The Zookeeper,” the Drew Barrymore romcom “Going The Distance” and the Disney horse drama “Secretariat” will all be opening. On October 15th, when the film was originally scheduled, “Jackass 3D” and “Faster,” the Dwayne Johnson/Billy Bob Thorton actioner will be hitting theaters. Meanwhile, October 22nd is already crammed with pictures including “Paranormal Activity 2” and “Saw VII” battling for pre-Halloween bragging rights, while the Bruce Willis sci-fi film “Red” just hopes not to be forgotten. There is nothing happening (yet) on October 29th, but don’t be surprised if one of the horror franchises move here or one week ahead to October 15th.
So what does this all mean? It means no matter where it’s put in October, “The Social Network” is going to be the one counter-programming film amongst the bunch. That said, who is this movie for? Boasting a young, hip cast in a drama about social media, we don’t see the over 40 crowd flocking to this one. But are young people going to care when there are dimwitted comedies and horror franchises competing for their bucks? We kind of doubt it. But then again, we never expected “The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button” to gross over $120 million and end up as a Best Picture nominee so what do we know.
The curious and arthouse inclined may also want to check out the above link as IFC and Sony Pictures Classics have announced a plethora of release dates for the first quarter of 2010. Here’s a few that are notable dates:
– Sony Classics Pictures is releasing “Chloe” on March 26.
– IFC evidently bought the Irish gangster comedy “Perrier’s Bounty” and is releasing it on May 14 (David Holmes wrote the score).
– IFC is putting out Ken Loach’s life-lessons comedy “Looking for Eric” on May 21.
– This is rad, IFC is also putting out the crazy kung-fu western, “The Good, the Bad, the Weird” on April 9.
– That same indie studio releases Cannes film, “No One Knows About Persian Cats” on April 16.
– Cannes film “Vincere” hits theaters March 19 via IFC
– The TIFF film, “Mother and Child” comes out May 7 via Sony Pictures Classics
– Nicole Holofcener’s Sundance hit, “Please Give” hits April 23 via SPC
– And finally Focus Features’ “The Eagle of the Ninth” goes from a generic Fall 2010 release date to a slightly less generic September 2010 release date.
*Note, all of the IFC releases are likely limited release.
One last notable change, Apparition was going to release “The Runaways” on March 19 in limited release, but because of the Sundance plaudits, the film is now going wide on the same date.