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Jungle Cruise, Maleficent 2 & Mary Poppins 2 Get New Release Dates
Disney has updated its packed movie release date slate on through to 2021, while at the same time planting flags in the sand for its live-action films Jungle Cruise and Maleficent II. Both of those tentpoles went into production back in May, but won't be hitting theaters until Fall 2019 and May 2020, respectively. In addition, the Mouse House has tweaked the release date for this December's live-action musical Mary Poppins Returns and dropped Wreck-It Ralph 2 from the title for its animated sequel Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2.
The studio has gone and made a few other noticeable changes to its release slate, the most noteworthy of course being its decision to move Indiana Jones 5 back to Summer 2021 (following recent reports that production on the film is being postponed). Disney has also removed an untitled live-action film from November 2019, shifted another live-action project back a few weeks in July 2021, and bumped a mystery Marvel Studios film - one some are speculating is Black Panther 2 - to February 2021, along with the other changes mentioned.
Jungle Cruise is now set to open in U.S. theaters on October 11, 2019, followed by Maleficent II on May 29, 2020. Ralph Breaks the Internet is keeping its November 21, 2018 date even with the title change, whereas Mary Poppins Returns will now open a week earlier than previously scheduled this year on December 19.
Dwayne Johnson is lending his star power to Jungle Cruise, with Mary Poppins Returns star Emily Blunt playing his co-lead, as it were. Naturally, Angelina Jolie is reprising her role as the Horned Fairy for the Maleficent sequel, where she will be joined by Michelle Pfeiffer and her Salt costar Chiwetel Ejiofor in the cast. Jungle Cruise will arrive on the same day as Warner Bros.' The Goldfinch and MGM's animated Addams Family (among other films), as well as two months ahead of The Rock's return trip to the virtual jungle in Jumanji 3. Elsewhere, Maleficent II is now gunning to dominate the Memorial Weekend 2020 frame, though it will have to do battle with Godzilla vs. Kong (which opens a week earlier).
In some ways, however, Disney's Mary Poppins Returns release date change is the most intriguing. Since there's no new Star Wars movie this December, several studios are going to try and beat the Mouse House at its own game. As a result, there are currently no less than five movies (Aquaman and Transformers spinoff Bumblebee among them) scheduled to go into wide release just two days after the Mary Poppins sequel. Disney's musical has now been given a bit of a head-start on the rest of the competition for (one presumes) that very reason.
KEY RELEASE DATES
- Mary Poppins Returns (2018) release date: Dec 25, 2018
- Ralph Breaks the Internet: Wreck-It Ralph 2 (2018) release date: Nov 21, 2018
