There are a lot of films this year that are going to go down to the wire when it comes to making their Oscar-targeted release dates. Kathryn Bigelow's "Zero Dark Thirty" was still announcing casting in May, although it seems to be well on course for its December date. Quentin Tarantino's "Django Unchained" was still shooting at the end of July, a risky move for a film that's also heading for a Christmas date, and mega-musical "Les Misérables" wrapped only a few weeks earlier.
Something likely had to give at some point, and indeed it has: having already let their December 7th release date slip back a week to December 14th, putting it on a collision course with "The Hobbit," "Les Misérables" is suffering another brief delay with the film now set to roll out wide on Christmas Day, December 25th.
We suspect it might be because the film could use the extra time in post, but it also has the added benefit of giving the movie a bit more space away from Peter Jackson's guaranteed blockbuster. That said, it's a case of out of the frying pan and into a series of fires, as it's now opening head to head with "Django Unchained," Seth Rogen/Barbara Streisand comedy "The Guilt Trip" and Bette Midler/Billy Crystal throwback "Parental Guidance." Plus "Monsters Inc. 3D" and "Zero Dark Thirty" six days earlier, and "Jack Reacher" and "This Is 40" four days earlier. Looks like Santa delivered a clusterfuck for Christmas this year!
That's the bad news. The good news is a new image and a newish, but slightly larger than before image, of the film has landed. So that'll tide you over for now, and we're expecting to see another trailer for the film soon, likely tied to the release of "Pitch Perfect." And you'll be able to see the film itself on December 25th. [Deadline]
