As we have discussed roughly 4,000 times previously, Danny Boyle has recently found himself with some extra time on his hands. And apparently, he’s using all that energy and time to make his upcoming untitled musical/comedy pretty great. It’s so great, in fact, that Universal has decided to move the film’s 2019 release up a few months.
Originally, the Boyle musical, which is said to follow a young guy who wakes up in a world where no one remembers the music of legendary band the Beatles, was scheduled to be released on September 13, 2019. However, due to the good buzz, and a major film’s recent release date announcement, Boyle’s film will now find itself in the middle of the summer movie season, with a new release date of June 28, 2019.
While Deadline is reporting that the move comes from the strong buzz surrounding the film, they allude to the “Downton Abbey” film playing a role in the decision, as well. For those not familiar, the hit TV series, which won a ton of awards, recently announced plans for a big screen debut next year. And with production currently underway, Focus Features has announced plans to release that film on September 20, 2019.
As you might imagine, having a decidedly British musical, starring the very British superstar Ed Sheeran and directed by the aforementioned British Boyle, would probably not like to compete with the also very British “Downton Abbey,” with its massive fanbase. That being said, it’s a bold move to position the untitled musical right in the heart of a ton of summer blockbusters.
As it stands, Boyle’s film will compete with the likes of “Toy Story 4” (June 21) and the Tiffany Haddish comedy “Limited Partners” (June 28). It’ll be followed a week later by “Spider-Man: Far from Home.” So yeah, lots and lots of competition.
Hopefully, we’ll hear more about the film in the coming months, including the damn title, as production continues.