SPIDER-MAN 2, VAN HELSING switcharoo

One gets bumped back, one jumps forward

By Patrick Sauriol     March 27, 2003
Source: The Hollywood Reporter, Variety

When the spider changed its mind the monster hunter took its place. Columbia Pictures has announced that the release of its much-anticipated sequel to last year's SPIDER-MAN has been pushed back two months from May 7, 2004, and is now slotted for July 2/04.

Taking advantage of the shift in strategy was Universal Pictures. When Columbia made its announcement, Universal leapt immediately and pushed up the release of VAN HELSING two weeks ahead of its initial target, from May 21 to May 7.

Columbia said that it moved the SPIDER sequel due to an unexpected delay in the start of that picture's principal photography. Star Tobey Maguire completed work in DreamWorks' SEABISCUIT film only last month, a month later than when Columbia thought he would be available for SM2.

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