Ghostbusters, Spider-Man are latest films impacted by strike

SONY Pictures is the latest movie studio shaking up its release schedule amid the ongoing work stoppage by Hollywood writers and actors.

Gran Turismo, a car-racing film originally scheduled for a wide release on Aug. 11, will instead get sneak previews for two weekends before coming to more theaters on Aug. 25, a strategy designed to cope with strike-related prohibitions on actors engaging in their usual publicity tours. “The stars can’t promote the movie, but the audience can,” Sony said in an e-mail announcing the changes on Friday.

An untitled Ghostbusters sequel previously scheduled for December has been pushed back to March of next year. Kraven the Hunter, based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name and previously scheduled for October, is now moving to Aug. 30, 2024.

The release date for Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse, was pulled. The latest in Sony’s series of animated films based on the character had been scheduled for March. “The studio is considering several dates depending on how long the strike lasts,” the company said of the picture.

Strike rules prevent actors represented by the SAG-AFTRA union from participating in red carpet premieres, press interviews, and film festivals to promote their projects. That’s upending marketing strategies and stands to dent the box office performance of films released during the strike.

Delays are especially unwelcome news for theater chains including AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. and Cineworld Group Plc that are desperate for more films to accelerate their recovery from pandemic-induced lockdowns.

Walt Disney Co. said earlier this week that it was delaying Poor Things, a film starring Emma Stone, until December. Bloomberg News earlier reported that the company was reviewing its release strategy for several pictures.

Writers and actors are seeking better compensation and benefits from studios as well as protections from artificial intelligence taking over their jobs. They have been on strike since May and July respectively, which has brought many Hollywood productions to a standstill. — Bloomberg