Paramount Will Release ‘Rumble’ On Streaming Next Month
In this new, chaotic age of streaming services, release dates and marketing campaigns have become a thing of the past. Now, studios randomly decide to release films at the drop of a hat.
Paramount revealed a big surprise this afternoon by announcing that it’ll launch Rumble on December 15. The Paramount Animation title, which had previously been slated as a theatrical release, has been rerouted as a streaming exclusive on Paramount+.
Directed by Hamish Grieve, Rumble was not planned for release this year. After pandemic-related delays, the studio had last said it would release the pic on February 18, 2022. No reason has been given for the new date and release strategy, but one could surmise that Paramount felt it would benefit more by having a new kid-friendly animated film available on streaming during the holidays when families will be eager for new content to watch at home. The earlier release date should also please the new regime at Paramount Animation, which will no longer have to worry about an already completed film that probably doesn’t fit into their own plans for the division.
"Get ready to rumbleeeeee!"
Welcome to the world of Monster Wrestling in the new animated film RUMBLE, streaming Dec 15, Exclusively on #ParamountPlus https://t.co/GNuJfbwe0p #RumbleMovie pic.twitter.com/nhAWABKG2i— Paramount+ (@paramountplus) November 26, 2021
Besides changed release dates, Rumble has also gone through multiple titles and directors. But the premise has stayed the same throughout. Loosely based on Rob Harrell’s graphic novel Monster on the Hill, the film is set in a world where monsters are global wrestling superstars and humans train them to fight. The wrestling corporation WWE is a producer on the film.
The animation studio for Rumble is Reel FX, which first announced this project as part of its own feature slate in 2015. The studio also provided animation on another film that’s releasing next month: Netflix’s Back to the Outback.