Sony Shifts '65' With Adam Driver Opposite 'Shazam: Fury Of The Gods,' George Foreman Biopic
By Jeffrey Harris on December 26, 2022 at 9:00 AM EST
It looks like Sony Pictures has a lot of faith in the upcoming sci-fi adventure movie, "65." The upcoming film, starring Adam Driver, has been shifted to the same weekend as the next DC comic book superhero sequel, "Shazam: Fury of the Gods" in March 2023, per Deadline.
Along with the shift for "65," Sony has also opted to move the release of the new George Foreman biopic back a month.
Sony Sets '65' Opposite Warner Bros. & DC's 'Shazam 2'
Sony unveiled the trailer for "65" last week, which already appears to be drawing positive buzz. In the week since the trailer debuted on YouTube, it's already garnered over 18.3 million views. Deadline notes that Sony has a lot of confidence in the movie, hence its move from March 10 to March 17.
The new sci-fi thriller sees spaceship pilot Mills crash land on an unknown planet until he realizes that he landed on Earth 65 million years ago. After finding the only other young survivor, they have to fight for survival on a prehistoric Earth filled with carnivorous dinosaurs and dangerous terrain.
https://youtu.be/bHXejJq5vr0
"Spider-Man" director Sam Raimi serves as producer from the film, which is written and directed by Scott Beck & Bryan Woods ("A Quiet Place").
Sony made the movie to reportedly push "65" away from "Scream 6," which arrives on March 10. However, the move now puts it opposite the "Shazam" sequel. It's a bold move by Sony, when it appears DC Studios is going through some massive changes, with new studio heads James Gunn and Peter Safran making future plans for the future of the DC Universe on film. It raises the question of what happens to the cast of "Shazam" after its second movie, along with star Zachary Levi.
The first "Shazam!" movie did fairly well in theaters, grossing $140 million domestically and $365 million worldwide. It was also beloved by critics, scoring 90% on Rotten Tomatoes. With the recent announcement of Henry Cavill that he apparently will not be returning to the role of Superman as previously announced in October, it raises the concern that the cast of the "Shazam!" films will be ushered out as well, as it appears Gunn and Safran might be wanting to start over for their big-screen DC Universe from scratch.
Levi took to Twitter himself to respond to rumors regarding his future role as Shazam on the big screen on Tuesday, Dec. 20, writing, "Oooh, I really wouldn’t go believing everything you see on the internet. I’m Gucci, Ash. We all Gucci." However, the ultimate final decision might not be up to Levi.
Sony To Release George Foreman Biopic In April
Another major release shift is the slated, still untitled George Foreman biopic. Deadline also notes that Sony moved the picture from March 31 to April 28 next year. The only other significant release for that time is "Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret," starring Rachel McAdams and Kathy Bates. It's based on the novel of the same name by Judy Blume.
The Foreman shift moves the film away from Paramount's "Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves" fantasy adventure movie.
The Foreman biopic will chart the career of the legendary boxer, highlighting his iconic fight with Muhammed Ali in Zaire to his retirement, followed by his in-ring return and regaining the world heavyweight championship at 45 years old. Foreman officially became the oldest heavyweight champion in the history of the sport.
The Foreman biopic is directed by George Tillman Jr. from a script he co-wrote with Frank Baldwin.
