Summit previously scheduled the 3D The Darkest Hour for August 5, a fairly typical summer release date for a sci-fi thriller. Per Box Office Mojo, the studio has pushed the film to December 23, a less natural holiday season bow. On the new date, The Darkest Hour must vie for 3D theaters against The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn; the date also holds The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and We Bought a Zoo.
Emile Hirsch, Olivia Thirlby, Rachel Taylor, Max Minghella, and Joel Kinnaman star as young tourists who find themselves stranded in Moscow, fighting to survive in the wake of a devastating alien attack. Chris Gorak (Right at Your Door) is directing from a script by Jon Spaihts. Timur Bekmambetov (Wanted) is among the producers.