Paramount Pictures delays release of 2 star-driven dramas

Paramount Pictures is shuffling its fall and holiday season release schedule by delaying two star-driven dramas, pushing “The Soloist” from Thanksgiving week to March 13 and “Defiance” from mid-December to a limited, Oscar-qualifying Dec. 31 release, followed by a wide expansion Jan. 16.

Studio spokesmen declined to comment on the moves Thursday. The economic crisis, Paramount’s budget woes and competition on the release calendar were all likely factors, studio executives said privately. This week Paramount said it would streamline its release slate going forward, aiming to put out no more than 20 movies a year.

“The Soloist,” starring Jamie Foxx as a homeless violin player and Robert Downey Jr. as a Los Angeles Times journalist, will still open the AFI Festival in L.A. on Oct. 30, but the release date change knocks it out of the 2008 race for the Academy Awards and other honors.

“I’d be lying if I said we weren’t disappointed, but hopefully, ultimately the movie will benefit from the decision,” said DreamWorks Studios spokesman Chip Sullivan. DreamWorks, which recently split from Paramount, produced “The Soloist.”

The economic crisis might have made November an awkward time to release a movie about homelessness, according to Paramount executives, although “The Soloist” is meant to be an uplifting tale.

The move leaves the vampire fantasy “Twilight” from Summit Entertainment and Walt Disney Co.’s animated dog comedy “Bolt” as the only major releases Nov. 21. However, the James Bond thriller “Quantum of Solace” comes out the week before, and at least three major releases are slated for the week after.

Paramount Vantage’s “Defiance” is a World War II drama starring Daniel Craig. The studio may have wanted more distance from the Bond film, also starring Craig. The delay also allows Paramount to push off much of the movie’s release costs to next year.

--

josh.friedman@latimes.com