RDJ's Doctor Dolittle reschedules release

Universal's upcoming “Doctor Dolittle” project, which will star Robert Downey Jr., has a new release date.

The feature, which Universal picked up in March, was slated to open May 24, 2019, but has now been moved up to April 12, 2019.

The studio was “forced” to change the release, as earlier this week, Disney and Lucasfilm booked May 24, 2019, as the opening date for its juggernaut “Star Wars: Episode IX”.

Described as a “sweeping adventure” by the studio, “Dolittle” is based on the character from the 1920s series of children's books by Hugh Lofting. The stories follow the eccentric Doctor John Dolittle, a former physician who lives with and treats animals, claiming that he can communicate with them.

Dolittle first hit the big screen in the 1967 movie “Doctor Dolittle”, which starred Rex Harrison and was a musical. Another “Dr. Dolittle” film was released in 1998 and starred Eddie Murphy.

Stephen Gaghan is directing the new movie.

Source: THR