Release Date Shake-Up: How Warner Bros.’ Changes Impact Upcoming Movies

Movies starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Josh Brolin, Ewan McGregor, and Bill Hader are all impacted.

Release dates are a crucial aspect of Hollywood, often providing insight into what to expect from a movie. Warner Bros. has recently made significant changes to its schedule, affecting several highly anticipated films. While some releases remain unchanged, others have been delayed or moved up. Let’s examine the changes and their impact on the upcoming movie landscape.

In terms of io9 readers, the most notable and disappointing move is the delay of Maggie Gyllenhaal’s The Bride!, starring Christian Bale and Jessie Buckley. This Bride of Frankenstein movie, which may also be a musical, has been pushed back from its original September 26 release date to March 6, 2026. Although this new window has been successful for Warner Bros. in the past, with films like Dune and Godzilla x Kong, the delay is still a significant change. The Bride! will now face competition from a new Pixar movie called Hoppers.

The shift of The Bride! has led to a domino effect, impacting other release dates. Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest film, now officially titled One Battle After Another and starring Leonardo DiCaprio, has moved from its original August 8 release date to September 26. This, in turn, has led to the film Weapons, directed by Zach Cregger and starring Josh Brolin, Julia Garner, and Alden Ehrenreich, being moved up from January 2026 to August 8. Weapons will now compete with Freakier Friday.

However, not all changes are encouraging. Flowervale Street, directed by David Robert Mitchell and starring Ewan McGregor and Anne Hathaway, has been pushed back again, this time to August 14, 2026. The film may or may not feature dinosaurs, and the extra time could be used to ensure its quality.

Another significant change is the delay of the animated Dr. Seuss’ The Cat in the Hat, featuring the voice of Bill Hader, from March 6, 2026, to February 27, 2026. The film also features Quinta Brunson, Bowen Yang, Xochitl Gomez, Matt Berry, and Paula Pell.

Other release dates remain unchanged, including Minecraft on April 4, Sinners on April 18, Final Destination: Bloodlines on May 16, F1 on July 27, Superman on July 11, and Mortal Kombat 2 on October 24.

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