14 DAY TRIAL // The “Shutter Island” trailer, Martin Scorsese’s latest film starring Leonardo DiCaprio, released in June this year, promised a ride like no other before: with a gripping thriller / horror story, acting to match and good directing, the movie was poised even before list as a very strong Oscar contender. With all this and despite the hype around it, Paramount has just announced that the film will not make the October 2009 release date, having been moved to February 2010, as Deadline Hollywood Daily can confirm.
Rumors initially had it that either Paramount did not have the over $60 million necessary to invest in such an awards contender or that it was not happy with the finished product, even forcing Scorsese to make it shorter and more “appealing” to the audiences. Then, word got out in the media that the decision to move it for a release at a later date was not being considered for financial reasons but because Leonardo DiCaprio would not be available to promote it if the studio stuck with the original release date.
To set the record straight, Paramount has issued a statement explaining why the later release. It does have to do with money, reads the release, but not in the way critics believed but rather in that, given the current economic context, the studio is forced to pull all the stops to maximize profit. In this particular context, this means having “Shutter Island” premiere in February next year instead of in October 2009. However, DHD assures fans chances of it making the cut for the Oscars next year are still high so, in the end, it could very well be that nothing is truly lost.
“Our 2009 slate was greenlit in a very different economic climate and as a result we must remain flexible and willing to recalibrate and adapt to a changing environment. This is a situation facing every single studio as we all work through the financial pressures associated with the broader downturn. Like every business, we must make difficult choices to maximize our overall success and to best manage Paramount’s business in a way that serves Viacom and its shareholders, while providing the film with every possible chance to succeed both creatively and financially.” Paramount Chief Brad Grey says in the statement.
The same release also offers guarantees that the delay has absolutely nothing to do with the studio being unhappy with Leonardo DiCaprio or the work Martin Scorsese has put in the film. Scorsese is “not just one of the world’s most significant filmmakers, but also a personal friend,” while DiCaprio “is among the most talented actors working today,” Grey further says.