Sony Pictures has moved the release date for the movie adaptation of Monster Hunter up by one week. Instead of Christmas Day, the film will now arrive in theaters 18 December.
The updated release date was revealed alongside confirmation that a controversial, racially charged scene – which sparked a Monster Hunter World Steam review bombing from Chinese fans – has been cut from all versions of the film. The deleted scene is short and inconsequential to the story, so it’s safe to assume it’s unrelated to the release date push.
The film was previously pushed up from 30 December to 25 December, and with this update, it will no longer have to compete with the Christmas marketing or, more pertinently, Wonder Woman 1984.
The movie versions of Diablos, Nerscylla, Apceros, and Rathalos are all included in the new trailer, and if that’s not enough of a reason, at the very end we get to see a Palico that we’re pretty sure is the Meowscular Chef from Monster Hunter World. Director Paul Anderson recently confirmed that the Monster Hunter movie will feature the feline chef, who you’ll remember as the former Palico partner of the Admiral in Monster Hunter World.
The Monster Hunter movie stars Milla Jovovich as Captain Natalie Artemis, who’s leading an elite military force to survival after they fall through a portal and land themselves in Monsterville. Luckily, a skilled monster hunter, played by Tony Jaa, is around to show them the ropes.