'Aquaman 2', 'Black Adam' and 'The Flash' among films delayed: here are the new dates

Warner Bros is delaying the release of some of its much-anticipated tentpole films as the coronavirus pandemic hinders post-production visual effects work. Film release dates being postponed include that of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, The Flash, Black Adam and Wonka, starring Timothee Chalamet as the eccentric chocolatier Willy Wonka.

But the release of Shazam! Fury of the Gods, the sequel to the hit 2019 film Shazam! has been brought forward from 2023, and will now be released on December 12, 2022, in time for the Christmas season.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which follows 2018's Aquaman starring Jason Momoa, was scheduled to be released this year, but is now set for a March 17, 2023 release. Meanwhile, The Flash, meant to be the first solo film for Ezra Miller's superhero, will now be out on June 23, 2023. Both Momoa and Miller have played their characters in several films within the DC Extended Universe, beginning with Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice in 2016.

Fans of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson will be treated this year to two movies from the actor — the animated film DC League of Super-Pets, in which he voices Superman's dog, Krypto the Superdog, and Black Adam, in which he plays the DC supervillain.

"We're movin' and groovin' and changing release dates," Johnson announced on Wednesday, along with the new dates for the films. DC League of Super-Pets will now be released on July 29, while Black Adam is set for October 21.

"I've worked these fingers to the bone. Because it's the kind of project that comes once in a lifetime," Johnson said last year while unveiling a snippet from the film at DC FanDome. "The truth is, I was born to be Black Adam."

Johnson, who's been working on Black Adam as far back as 2007, reunites with director Jaume Collet-Serra, who he worked with in the hit Disney film, Jungle Cruise. The character is based on the DC Comics anti-hero and sworn nemesis of Shazam, the superhero portrayed by Zachary Levi in the 2019 film of the same name.

One of the biggest delays will be Chalamet's Wonka, which was initially set for a March 2023 outing. It will now be released on December 15, 2023.

In October, Chalamet, 25, shared a photo of himself on set, wearing a burgundy velvet jacket, patterned scarf and brown top hat, a classic look for the Roald Dahl character. The film will recount Wonka's early years and is directed by Paul King who helmed the two Paddington films. Olivia Colman, Rakhee Thakrar, Paterson Joseph, Keegan-Michael Key, Rowan Atkinson, Sally Hawkins, Matt Lucas and Rich Fulcher will also star.

On Wednesday, Warner Bros also announced the release date of Meg 2: The Trench, the follow-up to 2018's The Meg, starring Jason Statham and a giant shark. The film is scheduled for August 4, 2023.

Warner Bros is having a great run at the box office with The Batman, which last week became the year's first film to exceed $100 million in its opening weekend in the US.

The latest in a growing collection of Batman films — this one a particularly gloomy version, starring English actor Robert Pattinson — has received wide acclaim and is the second pandemic-era release to surpass that milestone after Spider-Man: No Way Home.

See Robert Pattinson's style evolution:

Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

Meydan Racecourse racecard:

6.30pm: The Madjani Stakes Listed (PA) | Dh175,000 | 1,900m

7.05pm: Maiden for 2-year-old fillies (TB) | Dh165,000 | 1,400m

7.40pm: The Dubai Creek Mile Listed (TB) | Dh265,000 | 1,600m

8.15pm: Maiden for 2-year-old colts (TB) | Dh165,000 | 1,600m

8.50pm: The Entisar Listed (TB) | Dh265,000 | 2,000m

9.25pm: Handicap (TB) | Dh190,000 | 1,200m

10pm: Handicap (TB) | Dh190,000 | 1,600m.

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Innotech Profile

Date started: 2013

Founder/CEO: Othman Al Mandhari

Based: Muscat, Oman

Sector: Additive manufacturing, 3D printing technologies

Size: 15 full-time employees

Stage: Seed stage and seeking Series A round of financing

Investors: Oman Technology Fund from 2017 to 2019, exited through an agreement with a new investor to secure new funding that it under negotiation right now.

The bio

Job: Coder, website designer and chief executive, Trinet solutions

School: Year 8 pupil at Elite English School in Abu Hail, Deira

Role Models: Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk

Dream City: San Francisco

Hometown: Dubai

City of birth: Thiruvilla, Kerala

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE

Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.

Arrogate's winning run

1. Maiden Special Weight, Santa Anita Park, June 5, 2016

2. Allowance Optional Claiming, Santa Anita Park, June 24, 2016

3. Allowance Optional Claiming, Del Mar, August 4, 2016

4. Travers Stakes, Saratoga, August 27, 2016

5. Breeders' Cup Classic, Santa Anita Park, November 5, 2016

6. Pegasus World Cup, Gulfstream Park, January 28, 2017

7. Dubai World Cup, Meydan Racecourse, March 25, 2017

GOLF’S RAHMBO

- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer