If you’ve been looking forward to Jason Statham’s return to British action-thriller territory this year, it looks like you’re going to have a slightly longer wait than expected, with Lionsgate confirming that Hummingbird is now set for release in June.
Steven Knight’s anticipated film was originally to be released on our shores in mid-May, but the studio have released a newly revised trailer and quad poster, confirming that its new release date will be 28th June here in the UK.
Living on the streets after going on the run from a military court-martial, Joey (Statham) is a damaged ex-special forces soldier trapped in London’s criminal underworld. But when opportunity enables him to assume another man’s identity, he is transformed into an avenging angel.
Statham is joined by Vicky McClure (This Is England, Broadchurch), Agata Buzek (The Reverse), Siobhan Hewlett (Irina Palm), and Benedict Wong (Prometheus).
The Oscar-nominated Knight (Dirty Pretty Things, Eastern Promises) is making his feature directorial debut, and is directing from his own script.
Whilst I had been looking forward to seeing this film hit theatres next month, I can appreciate that pushing it to June gives it a stronger chance of finding its audience. The original 17th May release date would have seen it opening over the same weekend as Fast and Furious 6 and The Great Gatsby, and the competition would have been a tough nut to crack, even with Statham’s home advantage.
The revised release date will see Hummingbird opening against Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s anticipated apocalyptic comedy, This Is The End, as well as Despicable Me 2. But with each of the three films targeting fairly different audiences, that should allow all to flourish at the box office later this summer.
Hummingbird will be released in the UK on 28th June. No word yet on when we can expect it to arrive in the US, but here’s to hoping it will be later this year as well. For now, here’s the revised trailer and quad poster to get you in the mood.
[yframe url=’www.youtube.com/watch?v=8c77ONP5QnM’]
