MAZE RUNNER Sequel Pushed Back to 2018
20th Century Fox has announced another delay connected with Maze Runner: The Death Cure. Originally set for release February 17, 2017, it’s now scheduled for January 12, 2018.
The third installment in the Maze Runner trilogy, directed by Wes Ball, features Dylan O’Brien as Thomas, and in this outing he’s in search of a cure to the deadly plague known as “the Flare”. The film is based on the book by James Dashner, and will not be split into two parts as other finale sequels have been (The Hunger Games, Harry Potter). The Death Cure was published in 2011, and has Thomas caught between WICKED and the Right Arm as he travels to Denver in search of a cure for the deadly disease known as “the Flare”, which turns people into zombie-like creatures called “Cranks”.
Production has been stalled due to injuries O’Brien suffered after being hit by a car during principle photography. Fox had already announced a delay to allow O’Brien time to recover, but this is the first shift in the release date. No date has been given for production to resume.
O’Brien suffered multiple injuries March 17 in what’s reported by TMZ to be a “scene gone wrong” with a car running over O’Brien, causing multiple broken bones and a possible head injury. He was taken to a hospital in British Columbia for observation, and production was originally set to resume May 9th.
“The resumption of principal photography on Maze Runner: The Death Cure has been further delayed to allow Dylan O’Brien more time to fully recover from his injuries,” Fox said in a statement April 22nd. “We wish Dylan a speedy recovery and look forward to restarting production as soon as possible.”
The Maze Runner took in $102 million in domestic box office receipts and $245 million overseas, with The Scorch Trials dipping to $81 million domestic and $230 million outside the U.S.
