Mark Wahlberg's sci-fi thriller Infinite will be skipping theaters and heading straight to Paramount+. Many are gearing up for a return to movie theaters this summer with big releases like Cruella, F9, and Black Widow, to name a few. Earlier on during the pandemic when theaters were closed, Paramount sold the distribution rights for Aaron Sorkin's award season sensation The Trial of the Chicago 7 to Netflix. However, this was almost a year before they launched their own streaming service in Parmount+.
Infinite was originally set to star Chris Evans, but he had to drop out due to scheduling conflicts. Walhberg came on to replace him in the summer of 2019, and other than some minor casting news, the project has been quiet since. The Wahlberg starrer is helmed by Antoine Fuqua, who is known for directing action movies like Denzel Washington’s Training Day and The Equalizer, though he has now set his sights on the sci-fi genre with an adaptation of a novel by D. Eric Maikranz titled The Reincarnationist Papers. Other than Walberg, the film stars Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave) and Dylan O'Brien (The Maze Runner) along with Rupert Friend, Jason Mantzoukas, and Sophie Cookson.
Originally scheduled to hit theaters in September, Paramount has now taken Infinite off the calendar entirely and will stream solely on Paramount+ next month, per Deadline. With a screenplay by Ian Shorr, Infinite follows a man named Evan McCauley (Wahlberg) who is haunted daily by memories he knows are not his. On the brink of a breakdown, Evan is rescued by the film’s titular group, the Infinites, who reveal to him his memories are actually from past lives. They bring Evan into their secret world and began to teach him the power of immortality, but with secrets buried in Evans' past, Ejiofor’s antagonist has other plans.
This is the second time the production company has sent one of its theatrical titles straight to Paramount+. The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run was taken off Paramount's calendar in order to offer it as premium video-on-demand when their streaming service launched in March 2021. With summer moviegoing still shrouded in some uncertainty, Infinite may not be the last title to head straight to the streaming service, although Paramount likely wants to stick to its current schedule.
With Infinite off the calendar, Paramount still has a lot lined up for the summer and beyond. A Quiet Place Part II will be its first to hit theaters at the end of this month. Snake Eyes, Paw Patrol, and Jackass 4 will follow, but Paramount is banking on its blockbuster Top Gun: Maverick, which has been delayed numerous times but is currently scheduled for a November release. The success or failure of A Quiet Place 2 will likely determine if Paramount considers skipping a theatrical release for any further titles like it did with Infinite.
Source: Deadline