Amazon MGM Studios’ Mercy has been delayed. The upcoming sci-fi thriller, which was written by Arthur & Merlin‘s Marco van Belle, was directed by Timur Bekmambetov, whose previous movies include Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, Night Watch, and the 2016 remake of Ben-Hur. The movie, which follows a detective attempting to clear his name in the near future, features Guardians of the Galaxy star Chris Pratt and Dune star Rebecca Ferguson alongside an ensemble cast that includes Annabelle Wallis, Kali Reis, Rafi Gavron, Chris Sullivan, Kenneth Choi, Kylie Rogers, and Jeff Pierre.

Per ᴅᴇᴀᴅline, Mercy has been pushed back from its previously announced release date of August 15, 2025, which saw it opening opposite the Bob Odenkirk action sequel Nobody 2. The sci-fi movie will now premiere on January 23, 2026. This formerly quiet weekend immediately follows that year’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday weekend, during which an upcoming Disney movie, Zach Cregger’s Barbarian follow-up Weapons, and the horror sequel 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple are all set to premiere.

What This Means For Mercy

Its Original Date Offers Some Insight

While January is commonly viewed as a dumping ground for тιтles that lack studio confidence, the fact that the Chris Pratt movie was originally slated for August is likely a sign that this is not a reason for its rescheduling. August is a time when studios tend to release some of their more unusual or interesting genre movies, with previous years seeing the release of тιтles such as Edgar Wright’s The World’s End and Adam Wingard’s You’re Next during August. In 2025, the slate for the month includes the Liam Neeson-led Naked Gun reboot and the legacy sequel Freakier Friday.

At the time of writing, the reason that Mercy has been delayed is unknown. However, it seems possible that it could have been pushed back because of delays during post-production, as there are not currently any 2025 sci-fi movies scheduled that could have provided it with major compeтιтion and potentially scared it away. The fact that it was originally slated for an August premiere likely means that it still possesses an interesting texture that would have allowed it to work well during that period.

Our Take On The New Mercy Release Date

It Could Prove To Be A Good Thing

Ultimately, the new release date for Mercy could betray that the studio has even more confidence in the movie than its August date. The weekend following its new release date sees the release of the upcoming Aang: The Last Airbender, a H๏τly anticipated animated sequel to an iconic Nickelodeon fantasy series. Because that release is also a genre тιтle, unlike the Chris Pratt movie’s August 2025 compeтιтion, this could mean that Amazon MGM Studios thinks that its audience appeal is ᴀssured enough to weather such a strong rival.

Source: ᴅᴇᴀᴅline