null

As you can clearly see, words tweeted by Toronto International Film Festival director Cameron Bailey, just a few minutes ago! 

I’m not at all surprised by that news, and neither should you if you’ve read my recent posts on the film. I fully expected it to debut at one of the 2 remaining high-profile international film festivals, before its theatrical debut in October, which meant either the Venice Film Festival or TIFF. And it looks like it’s going to be the latter.

Fox Searchlight recently moved up the theatrical debut of Steve McQueen’s highly-anticipated drama 12 Years A Slave, from December 27 to October 18.

It’ll open in a limited roll-out and will then expand nationwide in successive weeks. 

The R-rated slave narrative, McQueen’s 3rd feature, boasts a rather impressive cast of actors, including: Chiwetel Ejiofor (as Solomon Northup, the star of the film and whose story it tells), Michael Fassbender, Ruth Negga, Adepero Oduye, Alfre Woodard, Lupita Nyong’o, Paul Dano, Benedict Cumberbatch, Scoot McNairy, Garret Dillahunt, Brad Pitt, Michael K. Williams,  Paul Giamatti, Sarah Paulson and others. 

I expect it to be an awards season favorite, especially in key roles, both in front of and behind the camera, and TIFF has proven to be an early testing ground for Oscar-caliber films. So reviews of the film after its TIFF premiere will be closely-watched.

Here’s the first trailer for the film if you missed it:

Blavity EntertainmentShadow and Act