Not a trick, definitely not a treat: Universal Pictures has pulled Blumhouse‘s “Wolf Man” from its primo Halloween 2024 release, and has re-dated the wide release for January 17, 2025.
With “Wolf Man” (from Leigh Whannell, starring Christopher Abbott) now in mid-January 2025, Universal took Blumhouse’s “The Woman in the Yard” — originally slated for January 10, 2025 — off its schedule. That one, starring Danielle Deadwyler, “is now unset and will be re-dated for a later date,” Universal said on Friday. In other words, it definitely won’t be replacing “Wolf Man” this coming Halloween season.
Jason Blum can’t buy a date lately around his favorite holiday. This past Halloween, it was Taylor Swift who ruined his (and others’) best-laid plans. When Swift announced her concert film, “The Eras Tour,” would release in theaters on October 13, 2023, Blum (wisely) chose to move “The Exorcist: Believer” off of its very suitable original date of Friday the 13th. In October. Eighteen days ahead of Halloween.
The Swift news probably went down like a sour Warhead at Blumhouse. But Blum was cool about it, tweeting in his announcement: “Look what you made me do,” citing a popular Swift lyric. “The Exorcist: Believer” was moved up to October 6, 2023 — so it wasn’t all bad.
“The Exorcist: Believer” made $136 million at the worldwide box office. Swift’s “Eras Tour” film made almost twice that, and is the most-successful concert movie ever.
This “Wolf Man” is from writer/director Leigh Whannell, who wrote and directed “The Invisible Man.” The now-January release is a reimagining of the classic monster. Corbett Tuck, Lauren Schuker Blum, and Rebecca Angelo wrote the film with Whannell. “Wolf Man” stars Christopher Abbott (most recently “Poor Things”) as a man whose family is being terrorized by a lethal predator.
Whannell, Ryan Gosling, Ken Kao, Bea Sequeira, and Mel Turner executive produce. Jason Blum produces.
The film only started production 12 days ago. Jason Blum tweeted a photo of Whannell holding the clapboard. “Day One on the set of Wolf Man,” Blum wrote. “LFG!!!”
Perhaps LFG a bit faster.
Day one on the set of Wolf Man. Director Leigh Whannell pictured here. LFG!!!
📸: Nicola Dove/Universal Pictures and @blumhouse pic.twitter.com/qeny3bjYdl
— Jason Blum (@jason_blum) March 18, 2024
“The Woman in the Yard” is an original horror film starring Danielle Deadwyler. It is directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (“Black Adam”) and written by first-time feature screenwriter Sam Stefanak.
Jason Blum produces, as does Stephanie Allain. Deadwyler, Collet-Serra, Gabrielle Ebron, Scott Greenberg, and James Moran executive produce. And that’s about all we’ve got on that one.
