Werner Herzog may be going up against Tom Cruise soon, but he tackles the even more oppressive opponent of death with his documentary Into the Abyss. We loved it at Toronto International Film Festival and it was picked up by Sundance Selects for a 2012 release. It turns out Herzog, specifically, wants us to see it sooner.
Deadline reports he is “demanding” the film see a release by the end of the year. Sundance conceded and the documentary will now hit limited theaters on November 11th, 2011, where it will go up against Melancholia, J. Edgar and Elite Squad: The Enemy Within in limited release. With his Cave of Forgotten Dreams becoming a big success this year, Sundance Selects president Jonathan Sehring said the following:
“It’s a very crowded year for documentaries but our minds have been changed for us. Do I love our original plan for releasing next year? Yes. Have I been swayed and think we’re doing the right thing? Yes. And I can say 99 out of 100 times I would not respond that way. It’s rare that filmmaker can convince an entire company that our distribution plan is wrong and his is right.”
This makes Into the Abyss a contender for the Best Documentary Oscar, so stay tuned as that process heats up later this year. We also got word that CBS Films has set a spring date for Lasse Hallström‘s Salmon Fishing In The Yemen. The distributor picked up the drama at Toronto International Film Festival for around $5 million and although “has awards potential,” they “didn’t want to make it a contender this late in the year.”
Starring Ewan McGregor, Emily Blunt, Kristin Scott Thomas and Amr Waked, the drama hits on March 2nd, 2012 in limited release. The upcoming animation Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, the actioners Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters and Safe, as well as Todd Phillips‘ comedy Project X all hit theaters in wide release on that date, but Yemen remains the only limited release. [Deadline]
In a minor update, Asger Leth‘s upcoming thriller Man on a Ledge got moved back slightly. Instead of January 13th, 2012 it will hit theaters two weeks later on the 27th. The previous weekend was insanely crowded with similar films including Contraband and Premium Rush, not to mention Beauty and the Beast 3D, Coriolanus and Joyful Noise.
The film starring Sam Worthington, Jamie Bell, Anthony Mackie, Elizabeth Banks and Genesis Rodriguez will now open against The Amityville Horror: The Lost Tapes, Joe Carnahan‘s The Grey and the Katherine Heigl comedy One For the Money. Check out the Man on a Ledge trailer here if you missed it.
Which film are you looking forward to most? Are these all fitting dates?