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Valkyrie Bowing on 12.26.08
So much for ex-United Artists marketing guy Dennis Rice's contention that it's better to release Valkyrie on 2.13.09 than in late '08 because it'll make more money that way. A half hour ago it was announced, almost concurrent with the news about United Artists CEO Paula Wagner being in talks to leave the company, that Valkyrie has been given a 12.26.08 release date, instead of the Feb. 13 date that was previously announced.
This is the fourth release date that Valkyrie has now had. There's no reason for me to think, having read the script and knowing Bryan Singer to be a very strong and focused director, that there's anything seriously wrong with Valkyrie, but the release-date shuffling has been incessant and the fumes coming off this thing are malignant at this point. MGM has literally been putting out smoke signals since last summer saying "troubled! whoopsy daisy! uh-oh!"
MGM needs to stop the hemmorhaging on this thing. HE is hereby repeating its suggestion to new MGM marketing guy Mike Vohlman to screen this sucker for a few choice columnists and long-leaders (including myself, of course) and let them spread the word.
Variety wrote that "sources close to events said the move was made for purely commercial reasons, after a screening of the film went well. The studio sees it as a holiday pic and award consideration was not a factor, they say."
Posted by Jeffrey Wells on August 13, 2008 at 4:14 PM
comment #1
btwnproductions says ...
No holiday is complete without a Hitler assassination picture.
Posted by btwnproductions at August 13, 2008 4:26 PM
comment #2
T. S. Idiot says ...
There's nothing like unwinding from Christmas with Nazis.
Posted by T. S. Idiot at August 13, 2008 4:27 PM
comment #3
JHRussell says ...
Isn't Dec 25 the last possible release date for Oscar eligibility? If so, what does a Dec 26 release date say about their assessment of the awards worthiness of this film?
Posted by JHRussell at August 13, 2008 4:34 PM
comment #4
/3rtfu11 says ...
[Isn't Dec 25 the last possible release date for Oscar eligibility? If so, what does a Dec 26 release date say about their assessment of the awards worthiness of this film?]
That's not true. TWBB was released on the 26 of Dec and it was fine just last year.
Posted by /3rtfu11 at August 13, 2008 4:39 PM
comment #5
theprisoner6 says ...
>>There's nothing like unwinding from Christmas with Nazis.
Well it worked for Schindler's List. And now the Ed Zwick/Daniel Craig WW2 flick "Defiance" has some competition.
Posted by theprisoner6 at August 13, 2008 4:40 PM
comment #6
btwnproductions says ...
True, but this is being positioned as a "holiday" picture, not a prestige one.
Posted by btwnproductions at August 13, 2008 4:45 PM
comment #7
JHRussell says ...
I read the Oscar rules...as long as the 7 day LA County theatrical run begins on or before Dec 31, a film can be eligible (if it also meets a bunch of other rules and restrictions related to non-LA screenings)...so this film will be eligible...not that it will matter.
Posted by JHRussell at August 13, 2008 4:55 PM
comment #8
Aladdin Sane says ...
Great, now what am I going to watch in February?!
Posted by Aladdin Sane at August 13, 2008 5:48 PM
comment #9
actionman says ...
Tom Cruise was BRILLIANT in Tropic Thunder. However great he may be in Valkyrie, his work in TT will do down as some of the best in his already fantastic career.
Posted by actionman at August 13, 2008 6:23 PM
comment #10
dre says ...
The dance man ... it's all about the dance
Posted by dre at August 13, 2008 9:19 PM
comment #11
BurmaShave says ...
I'm ecstatic, especially because I called this a month ago, right here on these holy boards.
Posted by BurmaShave at August 14, 2008 12:07 PM
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