Sony to shift Bigelow & Boal's Bin Laden pic to a post-election slot? (NYT, VAR)

By Nancy Tartaglione-Moore

Sony's planned October 12, 2012 release of Kathryn Bigelow and Mark Boal's film about the hunt for Osama bin Laden may be shifting. The New York Times on Wednesday reported that the picture may be moving from its slot - which would have fallen shortly before next year's presidential election - to a post-election date, and possibly not until 2013.

In its report, The NYT cited two people who were briefed on the studio's plans.

Back in August, Maureen Dowd reported the pre-election release date and pointed out that the film might boost re-election prospects for President Barack Obama by dramatizing the killing of Bin Laden.

Following that, Rep. Peter King, a republican from New York who is also the chairman of the House Committee on Homeland Security, voiced concerns over the White House's cooperation with the filmmakers.

At the time, Bigelow and Boal responded:

"Our upcoming film project about the decade long pursuit of bin Laden has been in the works for many years and integrates the collective efforts of three administrations, including those of Presidents Clinton, Bush, and Obama, as well as the cooperative strategies and implementation by the Department of Defense and the Central Intelligence Agency...This was an American triumph, both heroic and non-partisan, and there is no basis to suggest that our film will represent this enormous victory otherwise."

Also at the time, White House spokesman Jay Carney said: "We do not discuss classified information. And I would hope that as we face the continued threat from terrorism, the House Committee on Homeland Security would have more important topics to discuss than a movie."

According to The NYT, Sony execs privately said they had chosen the release date not as an 'October surprise,' but only because it was the best available spot for an action-thriller on a crowded schedule.

Per Variety, Sony said it expects to make a decision regarding the date within the next few weeks.