Director Ted Melfi’s “Hidden Figures,” the much-anticipated feature film adaptation of Margot Lee Shetterly’s book of the same name, which won’t be published until September by HarperCollins (although you can preorder a copy now), tells the untold true story of some of the African American women mathematicians who worked at NASA during the Civil Rights era.
At the center of Shetterly’s “Hidden Figures” are Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson, Dorothy Vaughan, Kathryn Peddrew, Sue Wilder, Eunice Smith and Barbara Holley, who all worked at NASA during the Civil Rights era, often referred to as “the colored computers.”
Shetterly, whose father was one of the first African American engineers employed by NASA, is a journalist.
Starring in the film are Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, and Janelle Monae, as the unsung scientists.
They are joined in supporting roles by Mahershala Ali, Kevin Costner, Jim Parsons, Kirsten Dunst and Glen Powell.
The adaptation was developed by producer Donna Gigliotti (producer of Oscar-caliber fare like “Shakespeare In Love” and “Silver Linings Playbook”), with Allison Schroeder penning the screenplay adaptation, which 20th Century Fox picked up, with a January 13, 2017 release date eyed. Although, as I’ve previously argued, the film might get a late 2016 Oscar-qualifying run in a limited number of theaters (NYC and LA specifically), and then open wide in January 2017. No one has read the book yet because it hasn’t been published (except the people who are making a film based on it), but it certainly reads like potential awards material – especially at a time of movements like #OscarsSoWhite.
And it looks like it just might get an awards season run, as Deadline reports that Fox is planning to showcase the film at the Toronto Film Festival next month – a notable awards season festival stop for studios with potential contenders. Fox is also said to be engineering an Oscar-qualifying run for “Hidden Figures” in late December.
No word on what specific Oscar categories Fox may be eyeing for the film. But a splashy fall film festival debut (if not at TIFF, maybe at AFI) accompanied by early critical praise for the film (assuming that to be the case) would certainly lend support to a late December release. So a TIFF/AFI showcase could serve as a test of the film’s commercial and critical appeal, and instruct Fox on what moves to make next.
Shetterly’s “Hidden Figures” tells the untold true story of the African American women mathematicians – Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson, Dorothy Vaughan, Kathryn Peddrew, Sue Wilder, Eunice Smith and Barbara Holley – who worked at NASA during the Civil Rights era. Their stories unfold through the personal accounts of 4 specific women that then-NASA staffers referred to as “the colored computers.” Shetterly, whose father was one of the first African American engineers employed by NASA, is a journalist.
A first poster (above) and trailer (below) for the film were released earlier this week.
Shetterly’s book will be published on September 6; you can preorder your copy right now via Amazon. Click on the image below.
