With November and December being the most packed movie months in quite some time ( Skyfall, Breaking Dawn finale, Gravity, Rise of the Guardians, The Silver Linings Playbook, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, Les Miserables, Zero Dark Thirty, Life of Pi, One Shot, This is 40, Django Unchained and The Great Gatsby, just to name a few), it’s no surprise to see some films packing up and moving to a new location. The latest is 47 Ronin, the samurai film starring Keanu Reeves, directed by first-timer and commercial helmer Carl Rinsch. [Deadline]

The 18th century set story, which is “centered on a band of samurai who set out to avenge the death of their master” has now moved from November to February 8, 2013 where it will have easy competition with the Nicolas Sparks adaptation Save Haven. The reason being given is the heavy work on 3D effects and that they want to capitalize on marketing for the film with their other big films this year (likely with The Bourne Legacy, Les Miserables and This Is 40). The move to an early year release date usually always spells trouble for a big tentplot like this, but Rinsch is a great visual artist so I hold out hope.

In other release date news, Roadside Attractions have set a September 14th release date for their drama Arbitrage. It is a good slot, providing solid adult entertainment opposite Finding Nemo 3D, Resident Evil: Retribution and a limited release of another Sundance film, For a Good Time, Call…. We were quite fond of  Nicholas Jarecki‘s directorial debut at Sundance (review here), which also stars Susan Sarandon, Tim Roth and Brit Marling.

Are you disappointed at the Ronin move? Looking forward to Arbitrage?