Alita, The Predator release dates pushed back by Fox

20th Century Fox set four release dates for some upcoming films, revealing that two in particular are being pushed back. Alita: Battle Angel, the Robert Rodriguez-directed and James Cameron-produced adaptation of the manga, and Shane Black’s sequel-reboot The Predator are both releasing later than originally expected.

Originally set for a July 21, 2018 release, Alita will instead hit theaters on December 21 of this year. This will put the cyberpunk action flick in direct competition with the likes of Aquaman, Bumblebee: The Movie and the comedy Holmes & Watson. A trailer for Alita showed off the style for the film, although many noticed that the titular protagonist’s face was a bit too accurate to the source material.

It’s pretty freaky.

Meanwhile, The Predator has been moved from August 3 to September 14, a shorter delay. Along with acting in the first Predator movie, director Shane Black has directed Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Iron Man 3 and The Nice Guys, all three being quite absurd, comedic madcap noir-ish tales. How this will translate into an alien hunting down people and dispatching them in violent fashions has yet to be seen in a trailer thus far.

Meanwhile, Fox has also set the dates for Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile, a sequel to Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express. Branagh starred in the 2017 film adaptation, featuring a large ensemble cast that included his glorious mustache. Fox also set a March 5, 2021 release date for Foster, an animated film from Ice Age studio Blue Sky. We don’t know jack about this one yet.

Fox Pushes Back Alita and The Predator, Dates Branagh’s Death on the Nile [ComingSoon.net]