The Weinstein Company is shuffling its awards-season deck, moving up Paul Thomas Anderson‘s Scientology-tinged religious drama “The Master” from Oct. 12 to Sept. 14 and pushing back Andrew Dominik’s Brad Pitt starrer “Killing Them Softly” to Oct. 19.
“The Master” will now open in limited release against Disney’s animated family pic “Finding Nemo 3D,” Screen Gems’ action horror sequel “Resident Evil: Retribution,” Summit’s teen drama “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” and IFC Films’ collegiate dramedy “Liberal Arts.” Anderson’s film will then expand to additional cities beginning Sept. 21, the day “Killing Them Softly” was originally skedded to open.
Dominik’s pic, which has released a violent clip but not a trailer yet, will now open against Paramount’s supernatural sequel “Paranormal Activity 4,” Summit’s crime thriller “Alex Cross,” Paramount Vantage’s David Chase-directed drama “Not Fade Away” and IFC Films’ thriller “The Loneliest Planet.”
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It’s worth noting that James Gandolfini and Bella Heathcote star in both “Killing Them Softly” and “Not Fade Away.”
“Softly” stars Brad Pitt as a professional enforcer who investigates a heist that went down during a mob-protected poker game. In addition to Gandolfini and Heathcote, the testosterone-heavy pic co-stars Ray Liotta, Richard Jenkins, Sam Shepard, Scoot McNairy, Ben Mendelsohn and Garret Dillahunt.
“The Master” figures to be a factor this awards season, with stars Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman expected to be major contenders for acting prizes, not to mention writer-director Anderson, who received multiple noms for his last pic, “There Will Be Blood.”
The Weinstein Company also has Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained,” David O. Russell’s “Silver Linings Playbook” and the French hit “The Intouchables,” as well as other contenders.
