The Cabin in the Woods was slated for wide release on February 5, 2010[8][18] and then delayed until January 14, 2011 so the film could be converted to 3D.[19][20] However, on June 17, 2010, MGM announced that the film would be delayed indefinitely due to ongoing financial difficulties at the studio.[21][22]
On March 16, 2011, the Los Angeles Times reported the following: "New (MGM) chief executives Gary Barber and Roger Birnbaum are seeking to sell both Red Dawn and the horror film The Cabin in the Woods, the last two pictures produced under a previous regime, as they try to reshape the 87-year-old company."[23] A distribution sale to Lions Gate Entertainment Corporation was announced on April 28, 2011,[24] with some industry news outlets reporting plans for a Halloween 2011 release.[25] On July 20, 2011, Lionsgate announced that they had acquired the distribution rights to the film and set a release date of April 13, 2012.[1] Goddard described the deal as "a dream," stating "there's no question that Lionsgate is the right home for Cabin...you look at all the films that inspired Cabin - most of them were released by Lionsgate in the first place!"[26]
The world premiere was on March 9, 2012 at the South by Southwest film festival in Austin, Texas