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Friday
01Aug2008

'Prince of Persia' Won't Start His Reign Until May 2010

DateFriday, August 1, 2008 at 3:07AM
So what does this mean, exactly? The Hollywood Reporter tells us that Disney has pushed back the release date for the video game adaptation Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, but not just by a week or two. Originally, the film was supposed to hit theaters on June 19th next year but now it's been tabled until May 28, 2010.

A whole year? Did they lose every copy of the script? I mean, they just started filming it and during production they're realizing this movie that's been in the works for roughly half a decade needs to marinate another 11 months?

Jake Gyllenhaal will play the title character, a Prince who...uh...has to save the day; that's the short version. The movie will also star newly-minted Bond babe Gemma Arterton, Ben Kingsley, and Alfred Molina. This is a Jerry Bruckheimer movie, and the Bruck usually doesn't move for anybody. So unless they screwed up production so royally that it would be months behind schedule (after only a few weeks on the set), this is purely a business move.

What kind of business could we be talking about? Transformers business. The June 19th date next summer is a week before Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. All I can figure is they looked at the possible demographic reach of Prince of Persia, looked at the same kinds of research for Transformers, and realized that their window to make big money was only six days long. Why they moved it a year back still doesn't make a lot of sense; surely, there would be holes in the schedule next August.

And the placement of the film now isn't exactly like owning Boardwalk and Park Place with some hotels, either. While it does get the cushy four-day Memorial Day weekend in 2010, it will follow the next Shrek movie and immediately precede Thor. I'm not personally afraid of Thor if I'm Jerry Bruckheimer. Of all the recent Marvel comic adaptations, that's the one that seems the most like Daredevil. If Hulk can't make $150 million either time, I think I take my chances going against a Thor movie. And Shrek, while it should command another $250 - $300 million, isn't trying to take money out of the pockets of the Prince.

So, if you're Jerry Bruckheimer and you're given option A or option B, I think B makes more sense. I'd also look into an option C, whatever that might be. But Transformers has had that opening day for a while, and you'd think if Bruckheimer and the studio were looking at that hurdle, they would've made this decision before cameras started to roll. Another option is that Disney is trying to overload 2010. They've already got another Narnia movie and Toy Story 3 within two months of each other, and now The Prince of Persia gives them three huge summer blockbusters in seven weeks.

It's certainly a head-scratcher. But Jerry Bruckheimer probably knows what he's doing.

AuthorColin Boyd | | in , , , | Print ArticlePrint Article | | Comment5 Comments |

Reader Comments (5)

Geez, is Sir Ben Kingsley in EVERY OTHER MOVIE now??? Did somebody pass legislation on this when I wasn't looking? In any case, he's become the new Michael Caine/Samuel L. Jackson in cinematic ubiquity...

Friday, August 1, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterJMK

It probably has something to do with the Video Game Developers, and the fact that Jake G. needed an extra 6 months to get in action star mode...

Anyone else hate that casting? I like Gyllenhaal, but he always seems tense and nerdish in his roles. I'm trying to figure out how he can play someone so limber as the P.O.P.

Friday, August 1, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterWill

The picture used in this article is not from Sands of Time. It's from Warrior Within. Do your homework next time

Sunday, August 10, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterGlo

First, this goes to the guy commented on the picture. It's from The Two Thrones!
Second, Who the hell is Tamina? The girl's name should be Farrah!

Tuesday, August 19, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterJJ

It IS from Warrior Within.

http://pop.vokr.com/covers/Prince_Of_Persia_Warrior_Within_Dvd-front.jpg

You win nothing for trying to best knowledge with false knowledge!

Thanks for playing!

Thursday, August 28, 2008 | Unregistered CommenterPrince

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