Studios Try to Outrun Coronavirus By Kicking Blockbusters Down the Road

For months, potential blockbusters like “ No Time to Die ,” “Black Widow” and “Fast & Furious 9” have abandoned their planned theatrical release dates — then abandoned them again, and again. There’s been nary a week in 2020 that hasn’t seen the delay of at least one major film. And in most cases, postponing a tentpole can set off a chain reaction, as was the case when the latest Bond sequel moved to the date previously occupied by “ F9 ” — and “Dune,” in an effort to get away from “ Wonder Woman 1984 ” around Christmas, relocated to next October and caused “The Batman” to bump back to 2022. Yet the pandemic persists in many places, and after the lackluster results for Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet,” the prospect of returning to the movies in a sustained way seems nearly as distant as it did when coronavirus first started to spread in March. Studios have already pushed the debuts of individual movies numerous times, a trend that could continue into the new year — especially as potential vaccines make their way through the approval process. “That’s the frustration of a pandemic, nature is in control in […]

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