[T]he move takes "Prince of Persia" out of the path of "Transformers 2," which DreamWorks and Paramount open on June 26, 2009. Filmmaker Mike Newell began lensing the pic last week in Morocco and will remain there until the production moves to London.

Decision to delay the release by a year caught some by surprise, although the calendar could continue to see major reshufflings because of the ongoing labor strife in Hollywood. Studios may want to allow for extra cushion in case of any production delays.

Bruckheimer and Disney don't want to take any chances with "Prince of Persia," which they are hoping turns into a mega-franchise, along the lines of "Pirates of the Caribbean," that can feed the entire Disney empire, from sequels to potential TV or direct-to-DVD spinoffs, merchandise and Disney theme-park attractions.