20th Century Fox announced some release date shuffles last night, and they mean major delays for those looking forward to the studio’s upcoming superhero movies.X-Men: Dark Phoenixis the next film in the properX-Menseries, but Fox has decided to move the film off of its scheduled August 08, 2025 release date and push it into 2019, where it will now open on August 15, 2025. If you’re thinking, “Hey, that’s around the same timeThe New Mutantscomes out,” you’re both right and wrong. As a result of theDark Phoenixpush, directorJosh Boone’s horror-centricX-Menspinoff has now been pushed all the way to August 19, 2025. That’s over a year after the film’s original release date, which was June 15, 2025.
Dark Phoenixis poised to mark a change of sorts for theX-Menfranchise, as series writer/producerSimon Kinbergwrites and directs the dramatic follow-up toX-Men: Apocalypse. The film adapts theDark Phoenixcomics arc and bringsJessica Chastaininto the fold as Lilandra, and while many were looking forward to seeing how different Kinberg’s take on the franchise might be, we’ll all have to wait a little longer.
That February date proved successful forDeadpooland this year’sBlack Pantherso it’s not as ifDark Phoenixis getting dumped. There’s currently only one release set for that Friday, February 15th, the Paramount comedyInstant Family, but Sony has its own superhero movieSilver and Blackslated for February 8th, which is whenThe LEGO Movie Sequelis also scheduled for release. I expect one or both of those to move.
As forThe New Mutants, the film was intended to be a haunted house-style take on theX-Menfranchise, offering a tonal departure in the vein ofLoganandDeadpool, but Fox pulled the film from its intended April 2018 release so they could do some more reshoots and further tweak the tone. Now it’s moving far away fromDark Phoenixto give that movie some breathing room, but if the film is indeed scary, August seems a better fit than February. CurrentlyDora the Explorerand an untitled Warner Bros. Event Film are scheduled for release the same day, August 2nd, butQuentin Tarantino’s new film and theArtemis Fowlmovie arrive in theaters the following week.
These aren’t the only release dates Fox is shifting. TheFreddie MercurybiopicBohemian Rhapsodyis now taking overDark Phoenix’s old date, November 2nd, moving up from its intended December 25th date.Bryan Singerdirected theRami Malek-fronted film, buthe was fired during productionfor failing to show up for work.Dexter Fletcher(Eddie the Eagle)came in to take over,and apparently the film has been testing really well, so despite production troubles this one may come out OK.
Additionally, Fox has pulled the adaptation ofDon Winslow’s novelThe Forceoff the release schedule, as it was originally set to open on July 28, 2025.James Mangoldhas been eyeing the director’s chair on that one but things are far from finalized (they recently brought onScott Frankto do a rewrite), so there was no way the film could come together in time. It may yet still happen, but just not in time for Spring 2019.
Attack the BlockdirectorJoe Cornish’s long-awaited follow-up filmThe Kid Who Would Be Kingwill be taking overThe Force’s release date, moving from August 18, 2025 to July 03, 2025.
And finally,Roxann Dawson’s faith-based filmBreakthroughstarringChrissy MetzandTopher Gracewill hit theaters on July 02, 2025.
