Before you die, you see... release delays. In Hollywood, there’s nothing scarier than that.

Paramount has been working for some time on a new film in The Ring franchise, the spooky series based on the Japanese novel by Koji Suzuki. The first movie opened in 2002 and became a surprise smash; a second movie followed in 2005 and became a surprise flop. That killed the property deader than a long-haired ghost for a decade, but Paramount recently resurrected The Ring (also like a long-haired ghost) for a new, 3D entry. The second sequel, titled Rings, was supposed to open on November 13 and star The Big Bang Theory’s Johnny Galecki, who supposedly plays “Gabriel, [a pleasure-seeking professor] who aids the main characters, a boyfriend (Alex Roe) and girlfriend (Matilda Lutz), when they encounter the terrifying curse.”

But now comes word from Variety that Rings has pulled from its release next month, and pushed back to 2016, “most likely in the first quarter of the year, although a specific release date has yet to be set.” Variety notes the move comes shortly after Paramount added two movies to their 2015 calendar: Adam McKay’s The Big Short with Brad Pitt and Steve Carell, and Charlie Kaufman’s Anomalisa, which opens in limited release on December 30.

It probably didn’t make a ton of sense in the first place to release Rings in November; at that point most folks are burned out on scary movies after the flood that comes in September and October to capitalize on Halloween. A push to 2016 could be a bad sign, or it could give Rings, directed by F. Javier Gutiérrez, a chance to find an audience in a less competitive time of year. In the meantime, just keep away from any unmarked VHS tapes, because they could be housing unholy evil. Beware the terror of outdated technology!

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