Disney Drops Release Dates For ‘Muppets 2,’ ‘Pirates Of The Caribbean 5’

Walt Disney Studios has revealed new release dates for a number of upcoming motion pictures. Included in the list are Muppets 2 and Pirates of the Caribbean 5.

The studio also announced a handful of changes to its lineup, including the cancellation of The Little Mermaid in 3D. The film was slated to arrive in theaters this September. According to IndieWire, apparently this is no longer the case.

The good new is that sequels to a pair of popular franchises are now scheduled to arrive in theaters next year. Director James Bobin’s The Muppets 2, the follow-up to the 2011 box office hit, is presently penciled in for March 21, 2014. Currently counted among the movie’s cast are Ricky Gervais, Tina Fey, and Ty Burrell.

Although next to nothing is known about the upcoming Pirates Of The Caribbean 5, at least fans of the series now have a release date to mark on their calendars. At present, Disney hopes to have the sequel in theaters on July 10, 2015. Johnny Depp is the only person slated to star as of this writing.

Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol director Brad Bird’s sci-fi flick 1952 starring George Clooney is scheduled to bow on December 19, 2014. The film will be available in both 2D and 3D flavors. Angelina Jolie’s Maleficent has been pushed back from March 14, 2014 to July 2, 2014.

Coming Soon reports that a handful of titles are being upgraded from 2D to 3D for their pending theatrical releases. Included in this list is director James Gunn’s highly-anticipated superhero outing Guardians of the Galaxy. When the film hits theaters on August 1, 2014, the film will be available in both formats.

The same announcement was made for directors Anthony and Joe Russo’s Captain America: The Winter Soldier. The film will also be available in 3D when it hits theaters on April 4, 2014.

Judging from Disney’s schedule alone, 2014 is shaping up to be quite a year at the movies.