This week, it was announced that the release of the next James Bond film is being delayed yet again. It was originally slated to hit screens in April this year, but No Time to Die will now hit cinemas in April 2021.
And now, the release of two more major films – the Abu Dhabi-shot Dune and The Batman – has been delayed. The Batman, directed by Matt Reeves, hit a production setback recently when a cast member, thought to be its star, Robert Pattinson, tested positive for the coronavirus. Filming resumed in mid-September.
Denis Villeneuve's big-budget sci-fi epic Dune was originally to be released this December, but will now be released on Friday, October 1, 2021 (all going to plan). Meanwhile, The Batman, which was scheduled to come out in October next year, will now hit screens in March 2022.
A lack of big-name releases, as well as social distancing measures, is hitting cinema chains hard. This week, major chain Cineworld announced it was closing all its cinemas in the UK, Ireland and the US.
The Dune trailer was released in September:
One bright spot? The much-awaited Matrix sequel, Lana Wachowski's The Matrix 4, starring Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss, is now set to be released in December next year (it was originally planned for April 2022).
The film has moved into this slot, however, only because of the delay of another movie – DC Comics' Black Adam starring Dwayne Johnson, which was originally meant to come out in December next year. Currently, there is no rescheduled release date. Another DC scheduling delay has pushed Shazam 2 from a November 4, 2022, release to June 2, 2023.
One film that is still on the schedule for 2020, for now, is Wonder Woman 1984, which should hit screens around Christmas.
If you go
The flights
The closest international airport for those travelling from the UAE is Denver, Colorado. British Airways (www.ba.com) flies from the UAE via London from Dh3,700 return, including taxes. From there, transfers can be arranged to the ranch or it’s a seven-hour drive. Alternatively, take an internal flight to the counties of Cody, Casper, or Billings
The stay
Red Reflet offers a series of packages, with prices varying depending on season. All meals and activities are included, with prices starting from US$2,218 (Dh7,150) per person for a minimum stay of three nights, including taxes. For more information, visit red-reflet-ranch.net.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, semi-final result:
Liverpool 4-0 Barcelona
Liverpool win 4-3 on aggregate
Champions Legaue final: June 1, Madrid
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dual%20electric%20motors%20with%20102kW%20battery%20pack%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E570hp%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20890Nm%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERange%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Up%20to%20428km%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh1%2C700%2C000%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Tom Fletcher on 'soft power'
More from our neighbourhood series:
if you go
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
1971: The Year The Music Changed Everything
Director: Asif Kapadia
4/5
FIXTURES
Monday, January 28
Iran v Japan, Hazza bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Tuesday, January 29
UAEv Qatar, Mohamed Bin Zayed Stadium (6pm)
Friday, February 1
Final, Zayed Sports City Stadium (6pm)
The UN General Assembly President in quotes:
YEMEN: “The developments we have seen are promising. We really hope that the parties are going to respect the agreed ceasefire. I think that the sense of really having the political will to have a peace process is vital. There is a little bit of hope and the role that the UN has played is very important.”
PALESTINE: “There is no easy fix. We need to find the political will and comply with the resolutions that we have agreed upon.”
OMAN: “It is a very important country in our system. They have a very important role to play in terms of the balance and peace process of that particular part of the world, in that their position is neutral. That is why it is very important to have a dialogue with the Omani authorities.”
REFORM OF THE SECURITY COUNCIL: “This is complicated and it requires time. It is dependent on the effort that members want to put into the process. It is a process that has been going on for 25 years. That process is slow but the issue is huge. I really hope we will see some progress during my tenure.”
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
