'Angels & Demons' on hold, pushing release to 2009

The rumors have been confirmed: Sony will push back production on the Da Vinci Code sequel Angels & Demons due to the strike, bumping the film’s scheduled release from Christmas 2008 to early summer 2009. Ron Howard’s comments on the picket line yesterday were already discouraging, and now Sony spokesman Steve Elzer tells Hollywood Insider that while the filmmakers and the studio felt that the screenplay turned in by Akiva Goldsman was “very strong, we do not believe it is the fully-realized production draft required of this ambitious project.” There is no new start date for the movie, which was supposed to go into production in February, but the studio has now scheduled May 15, 2009 for its release. Elzer added that Sony doesn’t expect any of its other 2008 films, including Bond 22, Will Ferrell’s Step Brothers, Will Smith’s Hancock, or Adam Sandler’s Don’t Mess with the Zohan, to be affected.