While we’ve made little to no bones about our questioning of why the hell Baz Luhrmann decided that his take on The Great Gatsby needed to be in 3D (Nathan has called it “absolutely ridiculous,” I’ve said that I “still see no earthly reason” why the film will have a third dimension), that doesn’t mean that we don’t want to see this big, glittery pouf-ball of an American classic. However, it looks like we’ll have to hold our horses for a few more months, as Warner Bros. has just announced that they are moving Gatsby off of its Christmas release date into the vague timeframe of “Summer 2013.”
In regards to this decision, Warner Bros. President of Domestic Distribution, Dan Fellman, commented: “Based on what we’ve seen, Baz Luhrmann’s incredible work is all we anticipated and so much more…We think moviegoers of all ages are going to embrace it, and it makes sense to ensure this unique film reaches the largest audience possible.” Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, Warner Bros.’ President of International Distribution, echoed that audience-reaching sentiment by saying, “The responses we’ve had to some of the early sneak peeks have been phenomenal, and we think The Great Gatsby will be the perfect summer movie around the world.” Uh huh.The film was originally slated for a Christmas release and, no matter my feelings on the film, it seemed like a nice bit of counter-programming to the other releases set for Christmastime – stuff like Jack Reacher, This Is 40, the Monsters, Inc. 3D re-release, Zero Dark Thirty, Django Unchained, and The Guilt Trip. It’s certainly a packed couple of weeks in theaters, but the glittery spectacle of a 3D Gatsby could have been a boffo entry into the mirth of the holidays. However, it clearly spells good news for one member of the Gatsby family – star Leonardo DiCaprio won’t have to worry about going up against himself, leaving his Christmas to be an all-Django affair.
Yet, without an official release date set, it’s hard to figure how exactly Gatsby will fit into the schedule and just what it will be going up against, but it is clearly the most literary film we’re going to get in the season (apologies to the untitled 300 sequel, the Independence Day 3D re-release, and The Internship), and it does move it away from a crowded field. Perhaps the move will allow WB to stake out a date and claim the hell out of it. Also, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s classic novel does take place primarily over the course of a summer, so maybe we’ll be in for some super-swank Roaring Twenties seasonal cosplay in support of the film. Here’s hoping.
You can read the full press release from WB below:
BURBANK, CA, August 6, 2012 – Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures have moved the release date of “The Great Gatsby” to Summer 2013. The announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, President of Domestic Distribution, and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President of International Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.
In making the announcement, Fellman stated, “Based on what we’ve seen, Baz Luhrmann’s incredible work is all we anticipated and so much more. It truly brings Fitzgerald’s American classic to life in a completely immersive, visually stunning and exciting way. We think moviegoers of all ages are going to embrace it, and it makes sense to ensure this unique film reaches the largest audience possible.”
Kwan Vandenberg confirmed, “Baz is known for being innovative, but with this film he has done something completely unexpected – making it in 3D – while capturing the emotion, the intimacy, the power and the spectacle of the time. The responses we’ve had to some of the early sneak peeks have been phenomenal, and we think ‘The Great Gatsby’ will be the perfect summer movie around the world.”
From the uniquely imaginative mind of writer/producer/director Baz Luhrmann comes the new big screen adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s novel The Great Gatsby. The filmmaker has created his own distinctive visual interpretation of the classic story, bringing the period to life in a way that has never been seen before, in a film starring Leonardo DiCaprio in the title role.
