Sony just updated its release schedule, with some major shifts — most notably “Karate Kid,” which will feature both Ralph Macchio and Jackie Chan, moving from Dec. 13, 2024 to May 30, 2025; and “Kraven the Hunter,” the Aaron Taylor-Johnson-led “Spider-Man” spinoff, moving from Aug. 30, 2024 to Dec. 13, 2024.
Additionally, “They Listen,” a thriller from writer/director Chris Weitz and producer Jason Blum, will arrive on Aug. 30. And “Animal Friends,” a live-action/animation hybrid, will hit on Aug. 15, 2025.
The “Karate Kid” shift means that it will now follow the sixth and final season of “Cobra Kai” on Netflix, which was delayed due to the strike. Sony is aiming for a big family audience with “Karate Kid,” which stars Ben Wang in the title role alongside a cast that includes Joshua Jackson, Sadie Stanley, Ming-Na Wen, Aramis Knight and Wyatt Oleff. It is directed by Jonathan Entwistle, working from a screenplay by Rob Lieber. Karen Rosenfelt serves as producer.
With “Kraven the Hunter,” it’ll be the only big R-rated movie for the holidays. It serves as an origin story for one of Spider-Man’s greatest foes. Ariana DeBose, Fred Hechinger, Alessandro Nivola, Christopher Abbott and Russell Crowe star alongside Taylor-Johnson. It was directed by the great J.C. Chandor from a screenplay by Richard Wenk and Art Marcum & Matt Holloway. It is produced by Avi Arad, Matt Tolmach and David Householter.
Details on “They Listen” are slim, but the film stars John Cho, Katherine Waterston, Havana Rose Liu and Lukita Maxwell, with David Dastmalchian and Keith Carradine. Weitz produces alongside Blum and Andrew Miano. Executive producers are Beatriz Sequeira, Paul O. Davis, Dan Balgoyen and Britta Rowings.
Legendary Entertainment’s “Animal Friends” is described as “a star-studded feature combining live-action and animated characters,” with a cast that includes Ryan Reynolds, Jason Momoa, Aubrey Plaza, Daniel Levy, Lil Rel Howery, Addison Rae and Ellie Bamber. Peter Atencio is directing the “R-rated road trip adventure,” from a script by Kevin Burrows and Matt Mider. Producing alongside Legendary are Reynolds’ Maximum Effort and producer Namit Malhotra’s Prime Focus Studios. Visual effects and animation will be handled by DNEG (“Nimona”).
