“King’s Speech” helmer’s “Les Miserables” release moved to X-mas

PanARMENIAN.Net - Universal has moved Tom Hooper’s“Les Miserables” from Dec. 14 to Christmas Day, further muddying the crowded holiday film calendar, the studio announced, according to TheWrap.

“Les Miserables,” which stars Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe and Anne Hathaway, marks Hooper’s first film since “The King’s Speech,” which won the Academy Award for Best Picture. Hooper, whose prior film was another British drama ("The Damned United"), also took home the Best Director prize.

Hooper's rendition of "Les Miserables," an adaptation of the hugely successful musical, which is itself an adaptation of Victor Hugo's novel, is expected to be a contender this awards season. William Nicholson penned the script, which follows Jean Valjean (Jackman), an ex-con on the runs from a tireless cop (Crowe). He soon begins to care for Cosette (Seyfried), the daughter fo factory worker Fantine (Hathaway).

Christmas is always a busy season at the movies, but this year in particular seems to be packed with both awards contenders and potential box office draws.

Had Universal stuck with Dec. 14, it would have opened the film against Peter Jackson’s “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey.” That has a different demo than “Les Miz,” but is expected to be one of the biggest films of the year at the box office.

In moving to Dec. 25, “Les Miz” now opens on the same day as Quentin Tarantino’s “Django Unchained” and four days after both Judd Apatow’s “This is 40” and the Tom Cruise-starrer “Jack Reacher.”