'London Has Fallen' release pushed to January 2016

Actor Gerard Butler's upcoming film "London Has Fallen" is no longer slated to hit the silver screen this year. It will hit the screens on January 22, 2016

Gramercy Pictures has announced that the movie, originally set to be released in US on October 2, would now arrive only next year.

With the new release date, the film avoids competition with 20th Century Fox's "The Martian", which was eariler moved up from November 25, and Sony's "The Walk". It is now pitted against Ariel Vromen's thriller "Criminal", the faith-based mystery "Risen" and the horror flick "The Boy", reports aceshowbiz.com.

"London Has Fallen" comes as a follow-up to 2013's "Olympus Has Fallen" which grossed $161 million worldwide. Directed by Babak Najafi, the film starts after the British Prime Minister passes away and his funeral then becomes a target of a terrorist organisation to destroy some of the world's most powerful leaders.

Butler is back as Secret Service agent Mike Banning in the sequel. Other returning cast members include Aaron Eckhart, Morgan Freeman and Charlotte Riley.