Father Geek here with some sad news for Mortensen groupies....
It's official.
Hidalgo has been moved from the Fall to early Spring 2004.
See the official site: By Just Clicking Right Here
Two possible reasons:
a) Disney just had too many horse pictures coming up (Open Range, the Missing, Young Black Stallion, Al;amo, and Hidalgo)
b) audiences rabid for Mortensen in ROTK will only have their impatience fueled by his character in Hidalgo, and will reject the movie as "fluff"--but audiences who have already seen ROTK, loved Mortensen, and know there isn't going to be a 4th LOTR movie in 2004 will snap up Hidalgo when it comes out as a "light dessert."
Who knows...but the date change is real. And a little weird since they just released the first trailer last week.
