Wasn't there a thread already for this? I couldn't find it. This news is already a couple of weeks old, but it's worthy oof discussion:

"Live Free or Die Hard" was originally set to release on June 29th, 2007 which is a week before the release of "Transformers" on July 4th, 2007. Now according to 20th Century Fox & FirstShowing.net, they're moving the release date of "Live Free or Die Hard" to July 4th as well which will pit it against "Transformers" in the same weekend.

To be honest, this is one of the most retarded release strategies EVER. I really want to see DH4 and the teaser was cool. But still, there is very little doubt that Transformers is gonna be a much bigger film. Both films are going more or less exactly for the same audience, so there is no counter-programming potential here.

They basicly just cut off dozens of millions from the overall gross of Dh4. What a stroke of genius. I could have seen it as a 35 million opener, but against Transformers it will barely reach low 20's, and the direct competition from Tranformers throughout the run is gonna kill DH4.

What the fuck are they thinking?

If that is true, then it is pretty stupid.
But I think they will come to their sences before...

I have to agree Die Hard is one of my favorite franchises, ( the first is one of my top 25 movies ever.) And 20th Century fox managed to somehow find a good release date in what seems to be the most crowded summer ever. But, moving the film in direct competition with Transformers is like you said retarded. The film before with a June 29th release date might have earned 125-135 mil, now it might struggle to get to 85, great move fox. To me the funny is that al these mostly big budget belated sequels (T3, Bad Boys II, Rocky Balboa(exception budget: 24 mil), to an extent M-I-3 have all done strong business, even Legend of Zorro did respectable worldwide.) Transformers looks ID4 big even though it might not reach those extact numbers this is a movie made for the 4th of july weekend. I think it might make 240-275 mil,( would be more but Harry Potter is a beast.) I don't care how pussy the move will look if Fox after seeing the awesome trailer for Transformers, if fox wants to make a hit out this sequel they better move the film back to June 29th. And lets not forget Die hard 3 made 72 % of its gross abroad. The forigen markets will be under seige this summer with all these blockbuster sequels. When you look at the the old release date it was perfect, a pixar film and a violent R rated actioner( they better make it R, I dont want a cleaned up pussy Die Hard), the film was a good altenative, now it's a huge underdog. I am 19 with means I was 8 when the last sequel came out, will most people my age care? I normally never see 2 films in a theter in the course of 3 days, I sure I will in this case but most people won't.

BTW, to avoid confusion: It seems that most sites still report it as 29th, but the actual teaser trailer released has it at 4th of July. So that most definitely should be the official release date, despite some mixed dates around the net.

I really dont see Die Hard opening higher than 35 million at all. The highest grossing Die Hard movie was just slightly over 110 million and the franchise itself has been out of commission for 10 years. Its not as though the public is really craving for Shootem action movies anymore, we arent living in the 90s. We already saw what happened with MI3 and nostalgic flicks like Rcky Balboa. Even without Transformers, the best Die Hard could probably muster was 80 million total in the US

Do you think that they intentionally moved Die Hard to July 4th so it wont be that close to Fantastic Four's release date since it was supposed to come out two weeks after that

Ya to me it made no sense to release another big movie like LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD two weeks after F4:ROTSS.

Hence the release date change.

Oh F4:ROTSS won't release day and date everywhere. It will be spread out releasing in june, july, august and september.

only spider-man 3 and POTC 3 are going to release day and date everywhere.
Maybe Transformers too but i am not sure.

Die Hard probably would have benefited the most on an august release. Preferably a week or two after Rush Hour's release.Heck most adult action movies trive at that month like Colleteral, Rush Hour 2, Fugitive. Going up against Transformers wont help since both movies will have rotten reviews (judging by Len Wiseman's rotten review resume for Underworld) and while one will be critic proof, Die Hard wont be so much. I dont think that July 4th date will stick since they moved FF out of that date to avoid competing with Transformers in the first place

I don't understand this? FF4 will be having a 15 million weekend at maximum on it's 3rd weekend, so how could it in any way damage DH4? Surely a 60-70 million opener like Transformers is going to provide more competition.

Well probably they want to space out the marketting campaign too. 3 weeks probably gives them ample time to market Die Hard as opposed to concentrating on FF

Ah yes, same studio? It makes sense that they don't want to have two movies eating away each other's audience.

An easy fix is to move Fantastic Four a week early against Ocean's 13 and Pirates third week. I doubt that OC13 will be a success anyhow and Pirates 3rd week will be down to the 30 million or even high 20s. And then keep Die Hard at its original date. The June releases like O13 and Evan Almighty look like they may bomb due to the lack of crowd responses from what I saw

See that is the problem if F4:ROTSS is kick ass then i am sure kids and teens will keep supporting it. So why eat into is boxoffice.

As for LIVE FREE OR DIE HARD i think they are overconfidant which is either good or bad. But you know what the rule of hollywood is that release a movie against a movie that has a big director whose previous movie was a BOMB. Michael bay and the island fits that category very well.

Oh no excuses about overseas boxoffice for the island. Seriously it still is a FLOP.

what do u mean by crow responses?

you mean crowd responses for the trailer.

Because i know one thing for sure that F4:ROTSS teaser trailer got good crowd reaction especially kids and teens.

Definitely retarded, if true. Hopefully it'll get switched. Just because July 4th technically works better with the "Live Free or Die Hard" idea doesn't make it a good move, Fox. It'll get crushed by Transformers. Its June 29 spot was great.

I said O13 and Evan Almighty. Relax there,Habib. Rupert Murdoch is not ready to hand you your pink slip(just yet) or your cousins working in the FX department somwhere in India

what was that about???

ok i will be honest with you guys.

I don't care what happens to live free or die hard at boxoffice.

I just want F4:ROTSS to be successful at worldwide boxoffice.

As long as F4:ROTSS can do more than its predecessor worldwide, i will be happy.

I want MARVEL to have a very good year.

Terrible Terrible if its true. That guarantees a lower than $50m gross probably lower than $30m. Very stupid.

They are actually better releasing it against I know Pronounce You Chuck and Larry as thats the only film released on that weekend and it can get out before Bourne and Rush Hour.

Isnt Chuck and Larry being released a week before the Simpsons. I dont think Fox would release their big movies within a one week period. I think it would be more feasible to release it after RH3 or move up FF & the SS release a week earlier and squeeze Die Hard 2-3 weeks after FF release

I think it should be released two weeks AFTER Transformers, where it'll have only Harry Potter's second weekend on it's back, which is still large but hardly the same audience. The next week or two is fairly clear as well.

EDIT: I see Bourne Ultimatum now, but thats still 2 weeks after, which isn't nearly as bad

French thats the weekend I said. Though as MAsked said Simpsons comes out a week afterwards. I guess the Simpsons should be a different demo but its still the same studio. However Fox has done it before - just recently with Eragon and Museum.

ya well one is a FLOP other is a SMASH HIT.

I hope they stick with F4:ROTSS release date. I don't want that movie to be moved anywhere.

Harry Potter will get released everywhere opening day. GOF was as well. I don't think it matters much with Die Hard it will probably do about 80 million max regardless.

hmm so 3 movies are relasing worldwide on the date of their us release.

1 might

Well it is becoming more common because of piracy concerns. Besides I say those are the big three movies, especially overseas.