‘I Saw the Light’ Release Date Postponed Until 2016

Those who were excited to see the Hank Williams biopic I Saw the Light soon will have to wait just a bit longer. The film's release date has been changed from Nov. 28, 2015, to March 25, 2016.

The move puts the film out of contention for awards this year, but due to Tom Hiddleston's schedule and the intensely competitive Oscar season, it's for the best, says Sony Pictures Classics Co-President Tom Bernard, adding that it's certainly not because of any less-than-positive reviews.

“We looked at the landscape and are making a decision that I think is a good one for the film,” Bernard explains. “Tom Hiddleston’s got three movies out potentially, so the press is consuming him ... What we saw was I Saw The Light up against the wall in this tight race of people throwing their Oscar movies out, and it’s almost all or nothing. We thought this was a movie we could do a lot for leading up to its release that I think will put it in a much better place."

I Saw the Light will now open against Warner Bros.’ Batman V. Superman, Universal’s My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 and Fox’s Keeping Up With the Joneses.

"Look at the casualties: There are movies we have passed on because they want an Oscar campaign," Bernard adds. "There are just not enough screens, not to mention the elephant in the room that no one is even talking about, and that’s how many screens are going to be available when Star Wars comes out [on Dec 18]. I believe they may have every screen in the complex except one."

The first clip from I Saw the Light was released in mid-September, and numerous movie stills have been revealed as well. Until March, they'll have to tide fans over.

I Saw the Light is based on Colin Escott’s biography of Williams. It was written and directed by Marc Abraham, and produced by Abraham, Brett Ratner, Aaron L. Gilbert and G. Marq Roswell. James Packer and Jason Cloth served as executive producers, and Dante Spinotti was the cinematographer.

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