With almost exactly two months left before its release, Universal Pictures has yanked the upcomingExtinctionfrom its June 27, 2025 release date. No reasoning for the release date shift was given, although it’s not surprising, since, with just a few months left before the release, no promotional materials have debuted, including, trailers, posters and photos. Still, the studio hasn’t issued a replacement release date for thissci-fi thriller, so it’s possible that it could just be pushed until later in 2018.
The movie was set to go up against 20th Century Fox’sThe Maze Runner: The Death Cureand Studio 8’sWhite Boy Rickon July 18, 2025, which would have arrived a few weeks after the first movie of 2018, which also belongs to Universal, theInsidious sequelentitledInsidious: The Last Key, which is the only movie to open in wide release on July 31, 2025. Also slated for release that month are Lionsgate’sThe Commuter, Warner Bros.‘Paddington 2and Sony’sProud Maryon January 12, along with Warner Bros.12 Strong, STX Entertainment’sDen of Thievesand Roadside Attractions’Forever My Girlon January 19.
Extinctioncenters on a father (Michael Pena) who has a recurring dream of losing his family. His nightmare turns into reality when theplanet is invadedby a force bent on destruction. Fighting for their lives, he comes to realize an unknown strength to keep them safe from harm. The cast also includes Lizzy Caplan, Emma Booth, Mike Colter, Israel Broussard, Tom Riley and Erica Tremblay. Production started back in May in Serbia, with director Ben Young revealing details about the story in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, after just a week of shooting.
“It’s like nothing I’d ever read before. It’s about a guy trying to redeem himself within his family in the midst of analien invasion. I’m in Serbia right now. We’re seven days into the shoot, and I was just talking to my buddy on the phone earlier. She asked me the same questions. ‘How is that?’ I said, ‘It’s exactly the same except there are a lot more people willing to help you.’ That’s how it is. We were picky with who we work with. The actors had to be actors who were good people and good collaborators. It’s a lovely experience. The producers couldn’t have put together a better cast and crew. It’s really similar toHounds of Love, except we get to blow s–t up.”
Hounds of Lovewas the filmmaker’s featuredirectorial debutthat was widely beloved by critics and yet quite controversial at the same time, with several movie-goers walking out of the Venice Film Festival premiere last year. The filmmaker is working from a script by Eric Heisserer, Spenser Cohen and Bradley Caleb Kane, with Mandeville Films Todd Lieberman and David Hoberman producing. The Hollywood Reporter broke the news of this release date delay, although it remains to be seen when (or if)Extinctionwill be put back on the schedule.
