Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby starring Leonardo DiCaprio has been shuffled from a holiday 2012 to Summer 2013 release by Warner Bros.
The new glitzy 3D adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerland’s novel was originally scheduled for release on Christmas Day. The move to summer 2013 makes The Great Gatsby no longer eligible for the 2012 Oscars where it had been expected to compete for multiple awards including Best Director for Luhrmann and Best Actor for DiCaprio.
Warner Bros. cites the reason for the move to put The Great Gatsby in front of the largest audience possible. They feel it’s a fantastic summer movie and want to capitalize on the earnings potential.
Looking deeper at the holiday release schedule reveals some conflicts that likely aided in Warner Bros. decision. The studio already has The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey opening in the same month with almost guaranteed huge box office returns in tow. If Warner Bros. wants to target family crowds, Disney’s re-release of Monsters, Inc. in 3D on December 18 might have eaten into The Great Gatsby business.
In addition, Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained, which also stars DiCaprio, opens on Christmas Day. Moving The Great Gatsby eliminates any DiCaprio confusion that might have occurred with a simultaneous release of his new films.
Along with Leonardo DiCaprio, The Great Gatsby stars Joel Edgerton, Tobey Maguire and Carey Mulligan. A precise summer 2013 release date will be revealed at a later date.
