Fox Searchlight has switched the release date for Steve McQueen's "12 Years A Slave."
A few days after six images were released for the upcoming film, the studio announced that the new Steve McQueen picture would be released on October 18 instead of its originally planned December date. New Regency and River Road plan on releasing the movie in limited release and expanding it throughout the following weeks of its release. The company stated, "'Twelve Years a Slave' could thrive in the fall, instead of waiting for winter."
McQueen's movie is one of the most anticipated films of the year and an awards contender which most Oscar prognosticators have put at the top of their Academy Award nominations predictions. As a result the move has brought about various speculations on the companies' awards strategy. Pundits believe that the date change was made so that Fox could acquire films in Toronto and Venice Film festivals and release them in December. Additionally, many believe that Searchlight will attempt to create early buzz throughout the festival circuit for McQueen's movie and use the early buzz to sway critics' circles and precursor awards.
"Twelve Years of A Slave" tells the story Northrup, a free African-American kidnapped while he is living in New York and sold into slavery. A Baptist preacher William Ford becomes his first owner with whom he shares an "extraordinary friendship" before he becomes the property of evil plantation owner Edwin Epps, and his wife Mistress Epps.
The new film stars Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Fassbender, Benedict Cumberbatch, Brad Pitt, Sarah Paulson, Quvenzhane Wallis, Dwight Henry, Paul Dano and Paul Giamatti. A trailer is slated to appear in front of Fox Searchlight's new film "The Way Way Back" on July 5th. "Twelve Years A Slave" is rated R for violence/cruelty, some nudity and brief sexuality.