Swine Flu Forces Fox to Postpone ‘Wolverine’ Premiere

20th Century Fox has decided to play it safe under the given conditions and not expose anyone to unnecessary risks, by postponing the premiere of “X-Men Origins: Wolverine” in New Mexico, People magazine confirms. Otherwise, the movie would have certainly taken a hit at the box-office, as Mexican officials have warned people to stay indoors and all the major theater chains have been closed down.

The much expected premiere was supposed to take place this Friday, but has been pushed back to a yet undisclosed date. Given that the swine flu is an issue more serious than any movie premiere, the movie studio took this initiative both as a sign of regard and to protect all those involved in the production, who would have had to travel there to attend the opening festivities, as is customary in such cases.

“We were not only concerned about Hugh [Jackman]’s welfare – and we would never send anyone into harm’s way – but we also have an enormous office filled with people we care about. There was no point in proceeding under the current conditions.” a spokesperson for 20th Century Fox says for the mag. Another release date has not yet been set, and will probably not be so for yet another while, until authorities get the crisis under control.

Either way, Variety says, should Fox have gone ahead with the premiere, the film would have taken a serious hit at the box-office given that Mexican authorities are warning people to stay indoors, and all the major theater chains are being progressively shut down. “Scores of screens owned by exhibitors Cinepolis, Cinemex, Cinemas Lumiere and Cinemark have gone dark, and the remaining chains and indies are expected to follow suit. Cinepolis is also shutting theaters in the states of Mexico and San Luis Potosi. Cinemark and Cinemas Lumiere sites are closed until further notice, while others hope to reopen later this week depending on the situation.” Variety says.

As far as fans know right now, the “Wolverine” premiere in the US will presumably go as scheduled, meaning the movie will open in theaters nationwide also on Friday, May 1. However, keep an eye on this space in case anything changes.