Gerard Butler Disaster Movie ‘Greenland’ Delayed in the U.S., Now Opening Overseas First

Is this a sign of things to come? Or just a smart business decision? Greenland, the latest disaster pic featuring Gerard Butler, will now open overseas before it comes to American shores. This is a relatively small production from STX Films, but larger studios – like Warner Bros. – might soon be taking similar approaches to big movies.

Greenland

Per Collider, Greenland, the Gerard Butler action movie about a comet about to collide with Earth, is moving from its August 14 U.S. release date to September 25. But overseas, the film will first open in Belgium, France, and Scandinavia. While this was never going to be a huge blockbuster, the fact that it’s opening overseas before the U.S. is bound to catch some attention. Rumor has it that Warner Bros. is considering the same approach for Tenet, Christopher Nolan’s huge movie that was supposed to open in America this month but has now been delayed indefinitely.

While the U.S. continues to struggle with the coronavirus due to a mix of total absence of real leadership and utterly selfish citizens, several nations overseas have managed to get their act together and flatten the curve. As a result, more and more studios are going to have to make a choice: continue to lose money by delaying everything indefinitely until the U.S. can sort itself out, or start rolling things out overseas. STX obviously chose the latter, although I’ll be honest: I’m shocked they didn’t decide to just release Greenland on VOD instead. This thing has “VOD release” all over it.

In Greenland, “A family fights for survival as a planet-killing comet races to Earth. John Garrity (Gerard Butler), his estranged wife Allison (Morena Baccarin), and young son Nathan make a perilous journey to their only hope for sanctuary. Amid terrifying news accounts of cities around the world being leveled by the comet’s fragments, the Garrity’s experience the best and worst in humanity. As the countdown to global apocalypse approaches zero, their incredible trek culminates in a desperate and last-minute flight to a possible safe haven.”