Fantasy Island, from horror giant Blumhouse Productions, has curiously opted out of the industry standard of showing the film on Thursday nights - for preview - before its Friday release.
While Fantasy Island is slated for release on February 14, 2020; the choice to release the film on Valentine’s Day seems like a smart one from the studio because not only does the holiday fall on a Friday, but the PG-13 slasher has played up themes of romance, mystery, and beautiful young people cohabitating on a tropical island that can make all their fantasies come true. Based off the ABC series from the ’70s of the same name, Fantasy Island also seems to be keeping its cards close to its chest regarding a major twist, likely regarding what is making the guests’ fantasies come to life - for better or worse.
While PG-13 horror has come under fire from fans lately, perhaps Fantasy Island will deliver something different, and that’s why Blumhouse wants to keep it under wraps. The studio didn’t have much success with their last PG-13 slasher, Black Christmas, which was released on December 13, 2019 - timely for the holidays. Regardless, it’s strange not to see a major studio taking advantage of Thursday night showings. Here’s why we think this might be happening.
Why Fantasy Island Isn’t Having Thursday Night Previews
Since the film is releasing on Valentine’s Day, this could be a reason to hold off just one more day. If other films release on Thursday, which is considered the standard, perhaps people who had Fantasy Island pegged as their second choice going into the weekend will see it on Friday instead of catching it a day early and choosing something else for date night. Though an odd choice comparatively, the biggest competition for Fantasy Island going into the weekend is Sonic the Hedgehog. While not necessarily dipping out of the same audience pool, Sonic the Hedgehog has been highly-anticipated for a while, so perhaps taking the choice of which movie to see between the two on Thursday instead of Friday could be a strategic move.
Another possibility is that, by eliminating early showings, reviews won’t come out until the weekend, which means people might not be discouraged from seeing Fantasy Island if it gets crushed by critics. Blumhouse has seen success with other films such as Run Sweetheart Run, which debuted recently at Sundance, but not with mainstream releases. February is also considered to be a “dump month”, just like January, and January horror didn’t do particularly well. The Grudge, Underwater, Gretel & Hansel, and The Turning all underperformed and got either mixed or largely negative reviews from audiences and critics. Blumhouse might not be betting hard on Fantasy Island, either, as it was made for a mere $7 million, and a larger property from the studio, Leigh Whannell’s The Invisible Man, releases at the end of the month.
Fantasy Island could also be trying to avoid spoilers, as various promotional material and marketing has teased the mystery behind the island. Several different sites, when promoting the movie, have used similar language urging that audiences “don’t spoil the twist”. With the nature of the Internet, spoilers have become a real problem, particularly with movies that rely heavily on its twist to be unpredictable and thrilling to audiences. If Fantasy Island does have such a plot device, Blumhouse might be smart to keep it under wraps just a little longer and let people see it with fresh, unspoiled eyes on opening night.
Next: Every Movie Releasing In February 2020
- Fantasy Island Release Date: 2020-02-14
