Monster Hunter Release Date Confirmed for December

Though previously set for an April 23, 2021 release date, Sony Pictures‘ big screen adaptation of the Monster Hunter franchise has done the one thing that movies this year simply haven’t, it’s moved up. The studio previously announced that the film would open at an undetermined date in December of this year after being delayed from its original September 4 release, with the studio having now revealed the film will arrive on December 30. Monster Hunter now occupies the release date originally held by Escape Room 2, which has departed the date for an undetermined 2021 release. Currently no other film occupies the December 30 release date.

Monster Hunter comes from the team that brought you the successful Resident Evil feature film series, which brought in over $1.2 billion at the global box office across its six films. Milla Jovovich will star in the film once again with her husband Paul W.S. Anderson serving as writer/director, Sony is no doubt hoping for similar success with this franchise starter. Other cast members for Monster Hunter include TI Harris, Meagan Good, Diego Boneta, Tony Jaa, and Ron Perlman.

A recently released new synopsis for the film revealed more details on its plot (while also confirmed it seems as different from the source material as the Resident Evil series). It reads:

“Behind our world, there is another: a world of dangerous and powerful monsters that rule their domain with deadly ferocity. When an unexpected sandstorm transports Lt. Artemis (Milla Jovovich) and her unit (TI Harris, Meagan Good, Diego Boneta) to a new world, the soldiers are shocked to discover that this hostile and unknown environment is home to enormous and terrifying monsters immune to their firepower. In their desperate battle for survival, the unit encounters the mysterious Hunter (Tony Jaa), whose unique skills allow him to stay one step ahead of the powerful creatures. As Artemis and Hunter slowly build trust, she discovers that he is part of a team led by the Admiral (Ron Perlman). Facing a danger so great it could threaten to destroy their world, the brave warriors combine their unique abilities to band together for the ultimate showdown.”

This weekend saw Sony Pictures debut the first teaser trailer for the film as well. The brief teaser shows only around 15 seconds of actual footage from the film but offered enough to reveal monsters like the Black Diablos will appear in the feature.