For what reasons are movie and TV series premieres postponed the most?

The broadcast date of the new series “Crime and Punishment” starring Ivan Yankovsky has been postponed once again. Although the reason is not officially explained, rumors of a special kind are increasing day by day. Probably, according to the assumption of some film critics who watched the first two episodes at the press preview, this was due to the provocative scenes in one of which Yankovsky’s heroine dances naked, covered in blood, and in the other, the hero Snigir teaches Aksenova to seduce. character. Considering that the age limit is 18+ and that there were no complaints to Roskomnadzor, it seems that the postponement of the premiere was due to another reason. So, let’s try to remember cases when premieres were unexpectedly postponed and understand why.

union strikes

At the beginning of May 2023, the largest Hollywood writers’ strike in history took place, which lasted until the end of September. More than 11,500 writers took to the streets and were supported by other members of the industry (actors, directors, producers, props and visual effects experts). While the strikers demanded better conditions and wages, many projects were suspended due to the union’s actions and their premiere dates were accordingly postponed.

Pandemic

The coronavirus epidemic also deeply affected the cinema industry. Production of many movies and TV series was halted and actors were forced to stay in quarantine. Almost all cinemas were also closed. Even when the incidence rate dropped, producers tried to postpone many projects out of fear that they would not receive good box office due to people losing the habit of going to the movies.

Country specific policy

We still live in an era where politics controls the cultural sphere. And each country sets its own rules. Sometimes in a good way, sometimes in a bad way. So, for example, American films touching on the independence of Tibet or Taiwan are not allowed to be released in China, or their premiere schedule is postponed on the condition that provocative scenes are cut. In many countries, including Europe, the USA and Russia, legislation ensures that films directed at children and adolescents do not show the use of tobacco and alcohol products. The same goes for explicit scenes. When violations are detected, creators are forced to cut scenes and hastily re-edit footage. In this case, the premiere schedule is often postponed.

Competition between rental companies

Movie studios plan the premiere schedule so that the movie has a better chance of getting good box office. The simultaneous release of two potential blockbusters could attract the attention of some audiences. That’s why Christopher Nolan was unhappy when Barbie was scheduled to be released on the same day as Oppenheimer’s. The director even tried to get the creators of Barbie to postpone the premiere. Although simulcasting makes for a great advertising campaign, sometimes distributors postpone premieres to avoid risks.

Scandal

It is enough to remember the fate of the House of Cards series to understand what the studios are ready to do to prevent the scandal. When Kevin Spacey, who played the leading role in the series, was accused of sexual harassment, his contract was terminated and his character in the story was killed. Due to his departure, Netflix management reduced the number of episodes of the sixth season from 13 to 8. Then the project was completely closed. Nowadays, one player’s reputation can jeopardize the work of the entire team. To avoid financial and reputational risks, film companies are ready to reschedule premieres to reshoot scenes.