Looks like The Weinstein Company is doing a little end-of-week clean-up, as Variety (via ComingSoon) has now gotten word that the production company has moved around a couple of its major awards season contenders.
First up, everybody’s most anticipated fall film, Paul Thomas Anderson’s The Master, has moved up to September 14. The film was last scheduled to open on October 12. The Philip Seymour Hoffman– and Joaquin Phoenix-starrer will now open on the 14th in limited release, with an expansion on the following Friday, September 21. This puts the film against the Finding Nemo 3D re-release, Resident Evil: Retribution, The Perks of Being a Wallflower, and Liberal Arts.
It’s interesting that TWC has announced this move now, after a few days of fevered chatter about why The Master was not headed to any big upcoming festivals – like Venice and TIFF. It also removes the possibility that the film would pop up at Fantastic Fest as a big surprise. With FF kicking off on September 20, perhaps The Master will open the festival, as it’s quite likely that the festival’s hometown, Austin, TX (what what!), will not get the film during its first week limited run. Here’s to hoping.
With The Master’s October date now vacant, TWC has slid in another one of their big guns – Andrew Dominik’s Killing Them Softly. That film was first set to open on The Master’s expansion date, September 21, and will now open on the film’s old release date, October 12. It’s just switcheroos here, people.
Simon saw Killing Them Softly back during Cannes, and he called it “an artfully crafted, occasionally very funny satire dressed up in tough-guy leathers and packing a knuckle duster punch.” Check out his review HERE.