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Night at the Museum 2 Replaces Avatar on Memorial Day 2009

With James Cameron needing more time on his 3-D epic, 20th Century Fox has moved the sci-fier AVATAR from a 2009 Memorial Day weekend release on May 22 to Dec. 18, reports VARIETY. Slipping into the vacant AVATAR slot for Fox is director Shawn Levy and Ben Stiller's family sequel NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM 2: ESCAPE FROM THE SMITHSONIAN.

With the announcement, the studio is giving first official word that it's moving quickly ahead with the MUSEUM sequel, which will be the first major Hollywood film to be shot at the Washington, D.C. landmark. New historical figures will be added to part deux, including Amelia Earhart, for which Reese Witherspoon had been approached.

NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM writers Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon wrote the sequel's script, which was rewritten by Scott Frank. Levy will also produce via his 21 Laps Ent., along with 1492 Prods.' Chris Columbus.

Cameron, who wrote the screenplay for AVATAR, is producing the film with partner Jon Landau via Lightstorm Ent. Weta Digital is handling the f/x.

Other summer releases for Fox in 2009 include the 3-D CG animated film ICE AGE 3 from Blue Sky Studios on July 1, and X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE on May 1.

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