'Breaking Dawn' Part Two Release Date Not Set For Summer 2012

'Breaking Dawn' Part Two Release Date Not Set For Summer 2012
Summit exec says the final 'Twilight' movie's release date is 'still the source of discussions.'



In June, Summit Entertainment announced that "The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn" will be released as two separate films, with the first part arriving on November 18, 2011. Though no release date for the second part has been announced, the conventional wisdom has been that the second part would follow in the summer of 2012.

Not so fast. Summit distribution chief Richie Fay told MTV News that no such decision has been made and that the studio is still exploring multiple release dates, not just ones in the summer.

"We've targeted a number of dates, and we have yet to determine when it will happen," Fay said. "We haven't even determined that it will be the summer. It's still the source of discussions."

Of course, studios always explore various release dates for pictures, especially established blockbusters, and the fact that Summit hasn't committed the second "Breaking Dawn" to the summer season shouldn't be mistaken for confusion or indecision within studio headquarters.

But the 2012 summer movie calendar is rapidly filling up, not necessarily with films that widely share an audience with "Breaking Dawn," but with established franchises or properties in their own right. That May will offer "The Avengers," "Madagascar 3" and "Men in Black 3," while June delivers a "Star Trek" sequel. The rebooted "Spider-Man" has already nabbed the July 4th slot (occupied this year by "Eclipse"), followed closely by another "Ice Age" and a third "Batman."

Surely there's room here for "Breaking Dawn," but Summit now has experience releasing "Twilight" movies both in the summer and the fall. And, as Fay says, the studio might not be ready to pick a season for "Breaking Dawn" until "Eclipse" finishes up its theatrical run.

"We might have a preference when we see where 'Eclipse' ends up," he said of choosing one season over another. "It certainly might color our thinking, but we're comfortable with either place. Right now, it's a bit early in that stage of planning."