Amazon MGM Studios’Mercyhas been delayed. The upcoming sci-fi thriller, which was written byArthur & Merlin’s Marco van Belle, was directed by Timur Bekmambetov, whose previous movies includeAbraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter,Night Watch, and the 2016 remake ofBen-Hur. The movie, which follows a detective attempting to clear his name in the near future, featuresGuardians of the GalaxystarChris Pratt andDunestar Rebecca Ferguson alongside an ensemble cast that includes Annabelle Wallis, Kali Reis, Rafi Gavron, Chris Sullivan, Kenneth Choi, Kylie Rogers, and Jeff Pierre.
PerDeadline,Mercyhas been pushed back from its previously announced release date of July 05, 2025, which saw it opening opposite the Bob Odenkirk action sequelNobody 2. The sci-fi moviewill now premiere on August 17, 2025. This formerly quiet weekend immediately follows that year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday weekend, during which an upcoming Disney movie, Zach Cregger’sBarbarianfollow-upWeapons, and the horror sequel28 Years Later: The Bone Templeare all set to premiere.
What This Means For Mercy
Its Original Date Offers Some Insight
While January is commonly viewed as a dumping ground for titles that lack studio confidence, the fact that theChris Pratt moviewas originally slated for August is likely a sign that this is not a reason for its rescheduling. August isa time when studios tend to release some of their more unusual or interesting genre movies, with previous years seeing the release of titles such as Edgar Wright’sThe World’s Endand Adam Wingard’sYou’re Nextduring August. In 2025, the slate for the month includes the Liam Neeson-ledNaked Gunreboot and the legacy sequelFreakier Friday.
Freakier Fridaywill feature the return of both original stars from 2003’sFreaky Friday, Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan.
At the time of writing, the reason thatMercyhas been delayed is unknown. However, it seemspossible that it could have been pushed back because of delays during post-production, as there are not currently any2025 sci-fi moviesscheduled that could have provided it with major competition and potentially scared it away. The fact that it was originally slated for an August premiere likely means that it still possesses an interesting texture that would have allowed it to work well during that period.
Our Take On The New Mercy Release Date
It Could Prove To Be A Good Thing
Ultimately, the new release date forMercycould betray that the studio has even more confidence in the movie than its August date. The weekend following its new release date sees the release of theupcomingAang: The Last Airbender, a hotly anticipated animated sequel to an iconic Nickelodeon fantasy series. Because that release is also a genre title, unlike the Chris Pratt movie’s August 2025 competition, thiscould mean that Amazon MGM Studios thinks that its audience appeal is assured enough to weather such a strong rival.
