Today Disney announced some sizable shakeups to its release calendar, although maybe not the ones you were expecting (yes,Mulanis still on the calendar for July 24).
Peter Jackson’sBeatlesdocThe Beatles: Get Back, previously scheduled for September 4 this year moves all the way to August 10, 2025;Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, based on the acclaimed 2017 musical (it was poised as a potential feel-good awards contender), was originally slated for October 23 this year but moves to the no man’s land of August 19, 2025; andArmando Iannucci’sThe Personal History of David Copperfield, based on theCharles Dickensclassic, finally has a firm limited release date of August 14. So you’ll have to wait a little longer for your next favorite musical, alotlonger for Jackson’s Beatles doc, and won’t have to wait long at all for Iannucci’s new take on a literary classic.
But the biggest shuffle to the release date schedule is forThe One and Only Ivan. Directed byThea Sharrockfrom a screenplay byMike White(based onKatherine Applegate’s novel,The One and Only Ivanfeatures the voices ofAngelina Jolie,Sam Rockwell,Danny De Vito,Helen Mirren,Chaka Khan,Brooklynn Prince,Ron FunchesandPhillipa Sooalongside live-action actorsRamon Rodriguez, Ariana GreenblattandBryan Cranston, in the tale of a strip mall zoo in the 1990s. (Take a shot every time a review compares it toTiger King.) Originally slated for a theatrical release on August 14,The One and Only Ivanwill now debut exclusive on Disney+ on August 21.
The One and Only Ivanis the latest feature meant for theatrical distribution that has instead premiered on Disney+, alongsideNoelle,Artemis Fowl(which just debuted on the platform today) and next month’sHamilton. Other titles, likeFrozen 2,Star Wars: The Rise of SkywalkerandPixar’sOnward, have made early splashes on the platform long before they were supposed to arrive, in part to help families looking for new things to watch at home during the pandemic.The One and Only Ivanshould perform a similar task, with talking animals conjured by the visual effects wizards at MPC (who worked on Disney’sDumbo,The Lion KingandThe Jungle Book).
“The world has changed in a heartbeat. People all over the globe have shared important, life changing experiences in ways we have not seen for a century,” said director Sharrock in an official statement. “In response to this, I am so happy that we can share Katherine Applegate’s delightful and original story,The One and Only Ivanwith the world this August on Disney+, bringing some joy through this unique movie of true friendship, inspired by a true story.”
