Trouble is brewing in Hollywood.
In the last few weeks, a small collection of films, expected to play a major role in the Academy Awards, pushed their release dates to 2009, citing editing and competition from other films.
Originally scheduled for a limited release on Nov. 14 preceding an expansion on Nov. 26, John Hillcoat’s adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s Pulitzer Prize winning, post-apocalyptic novel The Road starring Viggo Mortensen (Eastern Promises) and Charlize Theron (Monster) was pushed to December earlier this month. This week, the producers announced it would not be ready until 2009.
The Soloist, Joe Wright’s contemporary follow up to his period dramas Pride and Prejudice and Atonement, starring Jamie Foxx (Ray) and Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), originally set to come out later this year, will now be released on March 13, 2009
Edward Zwick’s Defiance, a World War II Holocaust drama starring Daniel Craig (Casino Royale) and Jamie Bell (Billy Elliot) will now be released in select cities on Dec. 31, pushed back from its initially scheduled release date of Dec. 12, with a wide release set for Jan. 16, 2009.
These scheduling changes come in the midst of an already-stormy field of Academy Award contenders.
The buzz for early favorites like Ridley Scott’s Body of Lies and Spike Lee’s Miracle at St. Anna has diminished since their release and largely unenthusiastic critical reaction, and Stephen Daldry’s World War II drama The Reader, starring Ralph Fiennes (The Constant Gardener) and Kate Winslet (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), has been in turmoil since The Weinstein Company began feuding with producer Scott Rudin about its planned 2009 release date.
The Weinstein’s have since rushed the film into post-production for a 2008 release, and Rudin has taken his name off of the film.
These departures have left slots open for possible dark horse contenders to win awards.
Danny Boyle’s Slumdog Millionaire has been garnering raves since its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in September, leading some to speculate about its chances for award consideration.
Similarly, Darren Aronofsky’s The Wrestler has been gaining attention, specifically for the performance of Mickey Rourke, since winning the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in September.
Some films earlier expected to play a part in the awards race, at this point, are still scheduled for a 2008 release, among them Gus Van Sant’s biopic Milk about slain San Francisco politician Harvey Milk and starring Sean Penn (Mystic River) in the lead role and Baz Luhrmann’s epic period romance Australia starring Nicole Kidman (The Hours) and Hugh Jackman (The Prestige).
Other buzzed-about-films are Revolutionary Road, Sam Mendes’ domestic drama reuniting Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio of Titanic-fame, David Fincher’s F. Scott Fitzgerald adaptation The Curious Case of Benjamin Button starring Brad Pitt (Seven) in the title role and Doubt, the Meryl Streep (The Devil Wears Prada) starring adaptation of the Tony-winning play by its original stage director John Patrick Shanley.
Academy Award favorite and work horse Clint Eastwood is also expected to factor into the awards race with not one, but two films scheduled for a release this year: The Changeling, starring Angelina Jolie (Girl, Interrupted), and Gran Torino, starring Eastwood as a military veteran coping with racial tensions in his neighborhood
Another actor turned director, Ron Howard, is expected to be in the running this year for another adaptation of a Tony-winning play, Frost/Nixon, starring its original Broadway players Frank Langella (Good Night and Good Luck) and Michael Sheen (The Queen).
The 81st Annual Academy Awards are set for broadcast on Feb. 22, 2009. Any film competing must be released by the end of the 2008 calendar year.
