Barnyard moved up?

CGCHAR-Animation has word that Omation's Barnyard has been moved up several months, to July 28. Time was when it was axiomatic that animated films had to have solid release dates well in advance, because there were usually marketing tie-ins that had to be coordinated with the release. Usually, when animation release dates change, it happens well in advance, and the film usually comes out later. The last animated film I remember having it's release date moved up was The Iron Giant, which then suffered from a poorly coordinated and lackluster marketing campaign. What's also interesting about this change (assuming it is official) is that Barnyard now comes only a week after Monster House, and a week before Ant Bully. Not much breathing room. Is this the first time three animated features opened in three consecutive weeks? Update: Bob Miller notes that in 2004, four animated features were released over a period of three weekends: The Incredibles on 11/5/04, The Polar Express on 11/10/04, Muhammad: The Last Prophet on 11/14/04, and The Spongebob Squarepants Movie on 11/19/04. I could quibble and say that Muhammad:The Last Prophet had an extremely limited release, but Bob goes on to make a more interesting point relating to the issue of past animation "gluts." Bob notes that all three of those films were successful, and for several weeks in 2004, three of the top five movies in the country were animated.