Universal has decided to change the release dates for several of its movies within the next year. One such film is ‘The Thing,’ which was originally scheduled to hit theaters on April 29, 2011. The new movie is the prequel to John Carpenter’s hit 1982 sci-fi film. It’s believed to focus on the discovery of the alien craft in Antarctica, which was featured in the original. The movie is being helmed by first-time director Matthijs van Heijningen Jr., and production began last spring.

To fill its space, the studio has decided to movie up ‘Fast Five,’ the fourth sequel in the hit ‘The Fast and the Furious’ car racing franchise. Originally intended for a June 10 release, Universal decided to move it up after the success of the last entry, ‘Fast and Furious,’ in April 2009. The studio said the move was made because ‘The Thing’ isn’t ready yet.

Written by: Karen Benardello