Update: THR now confirms that the film will open on January 11th. You can read the original story below.

Following a weekend report that Warner Bros. would cut a Gangster Squad sequence in which criminals attack a movie theater — described by some as “a key sequence taking place fairly late in the action” — THR has learned that the studio are now eyeing a January opening for the Ruben Fleischer film. January 11th, in particular, is looking ideal.

This should provide enough time for reshoots, though the studio is concerned over several factors inherent in the choice; among them, “how quickly the cast can be reassembled for the reshoot, concerns about cast availibility to do press in January and the competition on the calendar.” I suppose one could take the time to discuss the potential pros and cons of such a decision — I, personally, don’t think they should cut a frame, and only provide some kind of warning about the content beforehand — but it won’t change things in the slightest.

Before the contentious Monsters University opens next year, Disney and Pixar want to remind you about the first onscreen appearances of Mike and Sully. Yes, a 3D rerelease has been in order for quite some time — we probably forget because we, on the whole, don’t actually care — and, amazingly, it’s even hitting by the end of 2012.

Though originally planned for January 18th, ERCBoxOffice now reports that Disney have decided that it can perform in the supercrowded December area; the release will now occur on December 19th. On that day, it’s coming a little bit before and a little bit after some very big titles — the names of which, come on, you already know — with the same-day competition being Kathryn Bigelow‘s Zero Dark Thirty and Michael Haneke‘s Amour. The Austrian auteur is quite perturbed by this development.

The second film at hand is actually not a 3D rerelease — I’m being serious! — as ERCBoxOffice also tell us Brad Furman‘s Runner, Runner will be hitting on September 27th, 2013. Brian Koppelman and David Levien (Ocean’s 13, Rounders) wrote the film, wherein a hotshot Princeton student (Justin Timberlake) ends up with a high-level position at the company he was cheated by. Ben Affleck will play their head, while the rest of the cast is filled out by Gemma Arterton, Anthony Mackie, Oliver Cooper (Project X), Gemma Arterton, Ben Schwartz (Parks and Recreation), Sam Palladio, and Michael Esper.

Finally, Variety’s Andrew Stewart tweeted that WB’s spooky ghost story, The Conjuring, will be coming on January 25th, 2013. Not The Possession or The Apparition, but a James Wan-directed “true-life” horror drama starring Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson as a pair of paranormal investigators assigned to look into the Perrons, who claim to have been haunted by spirits whilst living on a Rhode Island farm. (Ron Livingston and Lili Taylor will play that family’s patriarchs.) In the January spot, it should do some big business with little competition.

Are you left thrilled and hopeful by these new release dates?