Dwayne Johnson’s ‘Rampage’ Moves Up Opening Day In Response To New ‘Avengers’ Release Date
Fans that are eager to see Dwayne Johnson take on a gorilla won't have to wait much longer as the Rampage release date has been moved up.
The change comes off the back of Disney dropping the massive Avengers: Infinity War early. The flick, which was originally scheduled to hit theaters May 4, will now be released on April 27.
A Smart Move
As a result, Warner Bros. moves the video game adaptation and monster movie Rampage up by a week. The studio announced Monday that the film will now hit cinemas on April 13 instead of April 20.
Marvel's decision to move up the release of the third Avengers movie has to do with its desire to compete with Star Wars spin-off Star Wars: A Solo Story at the box office when it hits May 23.
The producers of the Johnson-starring flick are reportedly looking to preserve a two-week window to target moviegoers rather than rely on just seven days before Infinity War storms in to break the box office records.
The impact is further reaching, too as Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One, an adaptation of the sci-fi novel of the same name by Ernie Cline, will have less of a grip on theaters. The movie drops March 30, and will now only have two weeks as the sole tentpole rather than three.
The flick is also a Warner Bros. property, which will make an interesting box office battle between the two.
A Safe Bet
Rampage is based on the 1980s video game of the same name, featuring three genetically-enhanced creatures, which include a gorilla, a crocodile, and a wolf, and the man who must stop them from destroying his home city. Johnson plays the burly protagonist, a primatologist who's formed a deep friendship with the gorilla at the story's heart.
The flick, which is tracking well thus far, reunites Johnson with San Andreas director Brad Peyton. He co-stars alongside the likes of Jake Lacy, Naomie Harris, Joe Manganiello, Marley Shelton, and Malin Akerman.
Peyton is also attached to tackle an adaptation of 2010 crime novella by Fox titled The Epoch Index, which tells a story of a female CIA operative looking to redeem herself.
Johnson, meanwhile, will take on a skyscraper in the aptly-titled Skyscraper later on this summer in yet another The Rock-versus-big-thing movie.
He's a pretty safe box-office bet in general. He was confirmed as one of the highest paid actors of last year alongside his Fast & Furious co-star Vin Diesel.
