Warner Bros. has moved Steven Spielberg‘s “Ready Player One” from December 15, 2017 to March 30, 2018, the studio announced Tuesday.
“Ready Player One” had the December 15 release date to itself before Disney pushed back Rian Johnson‘s “Star Wars: Episode VIII” from May 2017 to the same mid-December day.
With those tentpole films competing for similar audiences, Warner Bros. though it best to move Spielberg’s blockbuster to late March 2018, which not only gives the Oscar-winning director more time to finish the film’s eye-popping special effects, but has proven to be an effective release corridor.
WB has confidence in the late-March window, as the studio is also releasing its big-budget superhero extravaganza “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” around the same time.
“Ready Player One” will now arrive during the Easter holiday — when children will be out of school — and its new release date will allow Warner Bros. to advertise the movie during the Winter Olympics.
The studio is moving an untitled DC movie, which insiders tell TheWrap is likely to be “The Flash,” from March 23, 2018 to March 16, 2018. That film and “Ready Player One” will both play in IMAX.
Additionally Warner Bros. said it will release an untitled Event Film on March 2, 2018 as well as a New Line tentpole on April 20, 2018.