Part two of the big-screen adaptation of Ayn Rand's political novel "Atlas Shrugged" will begin production in April and hit theaters in October, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Audiences were the ones who shrugged when part one was released on April 15, 2011. The film earned a mere $4.6 million at the box office, and received a dismal 11% aggregated positive rating on RottenTomatoes.com.
Rocky Mountain Pictures, the producers of both pictures, say they will re-cast the sequel; in the first installment, protagonist Dagny Taggart was played by actress Taylor Schilling and heroic ultra-capitalist John Galt was portrayed by Paul Johansson, who doubled as the film's director.
The release of part two is timed to coincide with the upcoming presidential election, and marks a departure from the recent trend of moving political projects away from that date. Kathryn Bigelow's upcoming film about the capture and killing of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, starring Joel Edgerton and Jessica Chastain, was moved from an October 2012 release date to December 19th -- more than a month after the election.
Even Steven Spielberg's film about President Lincoln was pushed to after the election, despite the fact that it will be ready before voters go to the polls.
For more on "Atlas Shrugged," click over to The Hollywood Reporter.