Babylon, La La Land helmer Damien Chazelle’s upcoming movie, has been delayed until December 2022. Set in the Pre-Code Hollywood era, during the industry's transition from silent movies to talkies, Babylon is a period drama film starring Bradd Pitt in the lead role. In 2019, Paramount Pictures landed the film's rights, produced by Olivia Hamilton, Matt Plouffe, Marc Platt, and Tobey Maguire. Initially, Emma Stone was signed to play the leading lady in the film. But Stone exited the project in December due to scheduling conflicts, and shortly afterward, Margot Robbie was approached to fill in her shoes.
According to Deadline, Paramount Pictures has shaken up its release calendar for the upcoming season, consequently delaying Chazelle's Babylon launch by a year. The movie will now open in limited cinemas on December 25, 2022, followed by a widescale theatrical release on January 6, 2023. The film was initially scheduled to release on Christmas 2021, with production plans to begin in July 2020.
While several other Hollywood projects face production woes only due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in the US, Babylon is also dealing with internal issues involving budget and talents. The movie was supposed to go on floors last summer, but it missed its targeted production date due to the lockdown. And recently, one of the lead stars also quit the movie, causing another roadblock in Babylon's progress.
Given the circumstances and the film's perceptive disposition, it is only logical for it to be delayed significantly. But hopefully, when Babylon takes off next year, it will be an even bigger success than La La Land.
Source: Deadline