Superman fans hoping to spend next Christmas with Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel will have to make alternate holiday plans.

Warner Bros. has announced that the upcoming reboot, with Henry Cavill bearing the traditional “S” on his chest, is moving its release date from December 2012 to June 14, 2013, The Playlist reports. Currently it’s the only film occupying that summer weekend, giving it a little distance from Marvel's planned Iron Man 3, which kicks off Summer 2013 on May 3.

While the news is a crushing disappointment for those anticipating another Superman movie (myself, included), it’s probably a wise decision on the studio’s part. Competition on the calendar for December 2012 includes Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained; Ang Lee’s adaptation of Life of Pi; Gore Verbinski’s Lone Ranger picture with Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer; and Warner’s own launch of Peter Jackson’s two-part Hobbit endeavor. Not that Snyder’s Man of Steel wouldn’t have a fighting chance at succeeding in that mix, but why not move back to an unclaimed corner of Summer 2013, then dare some other blockbuster to try and muscle you out?

The move also gives Snyder and his team more time to perfect the film’s post-production special effects and rumored third-act script issues. With a little more flexibility in the production schedule, producer Christopher Nolan likely will have more time to consult on the project because he’ll have moved past The Dark Knight Rises and have the freedom to help Snyder along the way. While I’m frustrated to learn we’ll have to wait longer for a Superman movie, I’m confident that the buys Snyder time to make a movie that’s truly worth the wait.