Chris Pratt's sci-fi flick The Tomorrow War could end up being sent to streaming according to a new report. Pratt first became attached to The Tomorrow War when it was simply called Ghost Draft in early 2019. Chris McKay (The LEGO Batman Movie) signed on to direct, and Pratt later upped his role from simply starring to also executive producing. The Tomorrow War is described as a grounded sci-fi movie that follows a man (Pratt) embroiled in a futuristic war that forces him to confront his past. It also stars J.K. Simmons, Yvonne Strahovski, and Betty Gilpin.
The Tomorrow War was originally scheduled for a Christmas 2020 release. As has become the new normal for movies these days, it ended up getting delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Now, The Tomorrow War is slated for July 23, 2021, a date many believed would be safe for a theatrical release. Unfortunately, it remains to be seen if moviegoing will improve in 2021; there have already been rumblings of more major delays, and Sony just bumped Morbius from March to later in the year.
With all this in mind, it looks like The Tomorrow War could be one of the movies adjusting its release plans amid the pandemic. According to Deadline, Paramount and production company Skydance screened The Tomorrow War for streaming services over the weekend, and there is strong interest in the project. The services involved weren't named, but one can assume heavyweights like Netflix and Hulu were included in the proceedings. It was said that Skydance is the one leading the potential sale, not Paramount.
While July is still several months away, it says a lot about the state of the pandemic that executives are concerned about prospects within that timeframe. At this point, it isn't uncommon to have a studio film switch gears to streaming to avoid complications caused by a theatrical release; Paramount had several movies go this way last year, including The Lovebirds and The Trial of the Chicago 7. Even 2021 already has one Paramount streaming release already in place, with Coming 2 America slated for March.
Streaming releases may be a loss for movie theaters, but it makes sense as a recurring strategy for studios who don't wish to keep their content on the shelves for long. With streamers having already seen The Tomorrow War, a deal could emerge in the coming weeks, which would settle the matter. However, there's always a chance Paramount and Skydance could wait to see how the next few months shake out. It's a complicated matter, releasing movies during the pandemic, and The Tomorrow War just might become one of the many projects trying to adjust to this new normal.
Source: Deadline