Movie release dates aren't exactly like a bus schedule; they're more like a perpetual game of musical chairs, in which movies both big and small frequently shuffle around to make room for one another and try to nab the good spots before the competition gets to them.

We were so very close to watching Seventh Son, the new fantasy adventure based on the novels by Joseph Delaney, which stars Jeff Bridges and Ben Barnes. After first being scheduled for release in February 2013, Seventh Son was pushed back to October 2013, then delayed once more with a release date set for January 17th, 2014. A trailer for the film was recently unveiled and there were just a couple of months left to wait, but Seventh Son has skittered away once more, with the release now set for February 6th, 2015. That's almost two full years after it was originally supposed to come out, but Seventh Son recently changed hands from Warner Bros. to Universal, which played a big part in the delay.

Seventh Son isn't the only big fantasy movie from Universal that's acting coy. Warcraft, the adaptation of the popular World of Warcraft gaming series, has been pushed back from its original release date of December 18th, 2015 to March 11th, 2016. While March isn't as warm a box office spot as December, this is a very wise move, as otherwise Warcraft would have been directly competing with Star Wars Episode VII. Apparently, quite a few people are planning to see that one.

The Mummy reboot loses director Len Wiseman

Finally, and also on the subject of fantastical creatures, The Mummy is getting a reboot and it also has a release date now. Specifically, April 22nd, 2016. The film is being developed and produced by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman (Star Trek Into Darkness), with competing scripts being penned by both Billy Ray and Jon Spaihts. There's no director officially attached to the project yet, but the last we heard, there was an offer on the table to director Andres Muschietti (Mama).

The next few years will not only test whether Marvel Studios' stunning success can be sustained through Phase Two of the cinematic universe (it's doing well so far), but will also see the return of older franchises in Jurassic World, Independence Day 2, Terminator 5, Batman vs. Superman, and - of course - Star Wars Episode VII. Hopefully there will still be enough room left in between the major players for films like Seventh Son, Warcraft and The Mummy to find an audience.

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Seventh Son will (hopefully) be out in theaters on February 6th, 2015.

Warcraft is scheduled for release on March 11th, 2016.

The Mummy will arrive on April 22nd, 2016.

Source: Universal Pictures