Maxflier

I figured this was coming.

bluetoast

It's pretty much guaranteed that they talked to Fox/Cameron before this announcement and Avatar will be moved to a later time, somewhere down the line.

DthRdrX

December is box office gold for Star Wars and will keep it away from their Marvel films. They should stick to Dec.

DJariya

Doesn't really bother me. Rogue One comes out next December, so I'm fine with Episode VII coming out the same time. Gives them extra time to film, do re-shoots and post production.

mcnabb

It still beats waiting 3 years between films during the OT & PT days. Hopefully they follow the same timeline of TFA and the first teaser is Thanksgiving weekend this year.

TomOpus

Yeah, I don't think either movie wants to give up IMAX 3D screens.

Mike86

I think when it comes down to Avatar versus Star Wars that Star Wars will win out easily. I think that Avatar was a one off success back in 2009 when it came out but Cameron has waited too long at this point for a sequel that not many will probably care.

As far as the date of Episode VIII being pushed back I don't see it as a big deal. Makes sense that Disney wouldn't want two of their biggest franchises competing for the audience's money and the fact that The Force Awakens opened so strongly right before Christmas makes it easy to do the same thing with future sequels.

redrum

Whoever is looking forward to Avatar 2 more than Episode 8 is insane

dsa_shea

Yep. I'm actually looking forward to Avatar 4 the most, as I know it will be the end of the series.

TomOpus

Ready Player One is also getting released 12/17/17

Getting crowded now.

Jason

Well, Avatar was a remake of Dances with Wolves, and The Force Awakens was a remake of A New Hope, so the big question is, what two movies will be ripped off this time? Could they both make a movie based on the same material?

HN

Waterworld and Empire Strikes Back, obviously.

TomOpus

story

Selfishly, I'm all for it because our oldest will be just over 6 years old at that point and more ready for Machete Order and Episode VIII in the theater than if they did the May release, I think. Sounds good to me.

Shannon Nutt

That will get bumped to the following summer almost assuredly. Spielberg is close with Lucasfilm.

On the other hand, I can totally see another Captain America Civil War/Batman v Superman square off where the two studios say they aren't budging from their release dates. In the end, FOX will either push Avatar 2 back - or perhaps more smartly, move it up to November or October 2017.

Dr. DVD

Given how so many movies released during the holidays have gone on to become blockbusters, TFA among themm, it makes sense. They want a time where they can get the most people in the theater at one time and have no real competition, and the holidays are the time. Also, it's a time of year when everyone has elves, flying deer, a jolly fat man, and a messiah on the mind. Perfect time for pure escapism.

JeremyM

Disney is in the Avatar business as well, with an Avatar Land opening soon in Animal Kingdom at Disney World. So I am sure there is a lot going on behind the scenes.

DthRdrX

I just read that it is a Dreamworks production but WB has the say on moving it. They did the same with Batman/Superman so I don't see them risking it against SW.

Artman

Was just going to mention that...no doubt there's some serious negotiations going on (to be a fly on the wall for those meetings..) I think Avatar 2 would move to either Nov or the following year sometime. No way they'd open at the same time.

slop101

I was hoping for a Summer release, only because it's much tougher for me to get to a movie around Christmas time than Summer.

JoeyOhhhh

I don't mind having Star Wars films become a birthday tradition for me

hanshotfirst1138

The Christmas season can make it a tradition and keeps it out of the summer rush. And judging by the box office insanity of this last installment, they made a good choice.

HN

EP. 8 wins Christmas 2017 -- Reports coming that Avatar 2 is delayed, again.

https://news.google.com/news?ncl=dtQ...IeCVYQqgIIJzAA

Artman

With Justice League 4 wks before.. I think Ready Player One will move as well. This is the ultimate chess match!

coli

Do you think we'll get another teaser on Thanksgiving Weekend for Episode 8 this year? I know JJ pushed Disney to release the first TFA teaser, as I would love to see something a year before the release to wet our appetite.