Universal shifts “Savages” from fall to July 6

As long as we’re focusing today on the major studios and their habits per spec scripts [the previous post], let’s look at how they approach scheduling movie release dates. Case in point, Universal and the movie Savages. From Deadline:

Looks like Universal Pictures smells a summer hit in Savages, the Oliver Stone-directed adaptation of the bestselling Don Winslow novel. After screening a cut late last week, the studio has moved the film up to a July 6 slot. It had been scheduled to be released September 28. That puts it right in the heat of the summer with a shot at counter-programming against the tent poles. Sony opens The Amazing Spider-Man on July 4 and Fox’s Ice Age sequel opens July 13 (along with the Universal-distributed Seth MacFarlane-directed comedy Ted). The Dark Knight Rises follows on July 17.

The film focuses on Ben (Aaron Johnson) and Chon (Taylor Kitsch), two pot growers who refuse to knuckle under to a Mexan cartel and then have to find a way out after the cartel kidnaps the free-spirited girl they share (Blake Lively), who’ll be killed if the pot growers don’t capitulate and pay a huge ransom. They do it by ripping off the cartel’s shipments, a most dangerous game.

Strong response to audience screenings can totally rewrite a studio’s carefully mapped out distribution strategy. Negative, they push it back to slow months like January where competition will be less, and they can basically bury the film. Positive, they move it up to prime movie-going dates, but they must feel confident in the film to face increased competition. With Savages, as the article notes, this is a clear ‘counter-programming’ move by Universal, to offer audiences something different, grittier and more serious than the escapist fare coming out that weekend. To pull that off, Savages must be a strong film.

The movie is written by Shane Salerno & Don Winslow & Oliver Stone.

Here is the movie’s IMDB site.

For more of the Deadline article, go here.