'Cabin in the Woods' Gets Friday the 13th Release in April 2012

Chris Hemsworth.

The film will be released on Friday, April 13, 2012, three weeks before the Whedon-directed "The Avengers," which also features Hemsworth. The Marvel films helped raise the profile of the genre-twisting "Cabin," and the release date will help it exploit "Avengers" hype.

The convention-twisting horror film was originally scheduled to be released as early as 2009, but was sidelined by a 3D conversion and the financial troubles at MGM, which had planned to release it.

It was co-written and directed by Drew Goddard ("Cloverfield"). Whedon has called it "the horror movie to end all horror movies."

The film also stars Richard Jenkins ("Let Me In"), Bradley Whitford ("The West Wing"), and Kristen Connolly ("The Happening").

"This is a movie that operates on many levels, and it works gloriously on every one of them,” said Joe Drake, president of Lionsgate's motion picture group. "There is intense fan anticipation for this film, and we are thrilled to have the opportunity to deliver what we’re sure will be a major zeitgeist movie and an instant horror classic -- and on a Friday the 13th no less."

"Lionsgate's passion and enthusiasm for our movie has been so overwhelming, I had to go back and make sure we didn't accidentally screen 'The Godfather' for them," Goddard said.source