In anticipation of Universal moving “Fast and Furious 7” out of its summer slot, Fox has made a preemptive claim on the July 11, 2014 slot, moving up “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” from its original July 18 date.
Universal has yet to decide whether it will bump “Fast 7” from summer 2014, though the film’s delayed production start following the death of star Paul Walker makes it unlikely that the film will be ready in time. The studio had no comment.
Fox, meanwhile, has been extremely aggressive with its “Planet of the Apes” re-booted franchise after the first film, “Rise of the Planet of the Apes,” became a surprise hit during late-summer 2011, grossing more than $480 million worldwide. “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” is being directed by Matt Reeves (“Let Me In”) and stars Gary Oldman, Keri Russell and Andy Serkis.
If Universal decides not to move “Fast 7,” Fox said it will likely bump “Dawn” back to its original July 18 berth. Disney’s “Planes” toon sequel, “Fire and Rescue,” currently is the only other film on that date.
