EXCLUSIVE: Lionsgate is pressing the theatrical releases of this August’s White Bird: A Wonder Story and next year’s Dirty Dancing follow up from director Jonathan Levine due to the double WGA and SAG-AFTRA strike, we hear.
White Bird, the spin-off prequel to the studio’s 2017 ticket office smash Wonder, was set to launch restricted on Aug. 18 and go broader on Aug. 25. It’s now undated for Q4 at the end of this year. That leaves the last weekend in August without a broad theatrical release, which isn’t that uncommon for that point in summer season. White Bird stars Helen Mirren and Gillian Anderson, and it’s the kind of film that actually requires the push from its stars to raise it above the fray. Best to wait the set out.
In the case of Dirty Dancing which is penned by Elizabeth Chomko, Mikki Daughtry, and Tobias Iaconis, I comprehend the studio is waiting to getting the Jennifer Grey reprise in the best best state; not uncommon for any developing production today. The pic relocations far from its Feb. 9, 2024 date to the summer season of 2025.
This isn’t the very first relocations for pictures’ release dates modifications due to the strikes: Disney led the video game prior to SAG-AFTRA struck by pressing Thunderbolts, Avatar 3, its next crop of Avengers motion pictures amongst a number of other tentpoles.
White Bird is helmed by Marc Forster (Finding Neverland, Christopher Robin), based upon R.J. Palacio’s same-name 2019 follow-up. Bryce Gheisar repeat his function as Julian, who has actually had a hard time to belong since he was expelled from his previous school for his treatment of Auggie. To change his life, Julian’s grandma (Helen Mirren) lastly exposes to Julian her own story of guts — throughout her youth in Nazi-inhabited France, a boy shelters her from mortal threat. They discover puppy love in a sensational, wonderful world of their own development, while the boy’s mom (Gillian Anderson) dangers whatever to keep her safe.
