Sony is releasing Captain Phillips this Saturday to select theaters, in a move to build buzz for the film outside of the festival circuit. It has earned rave reviews and the early screenings will help to generate word of mouth.
On Tuesday, Sony said on the film’s Facebook page that it will be releasing the film early Saturday. According to Deadline, the film will be shown at 800 locations.
Captain Phillips was screened at the New York Film Festival and at the Toronto International Film Festival. It earned positive reviews out of Toronto and received a standing ovation in New York. It reaches theaters everywhere on Oct. 11.
The film was directed by Paul Greengrass and stars Tom Hanks as the title character. It has put Hanks in the Oscar race for Best Actor, as he’s looking for his first nomination in the category in over a decade. The film is about the hijacking of an American cargo ship by Somali pirates.
“I think it’s important not to redefine somebody’s motivations … You’ve got to be a journalist and a historian and a filmmaker all at the same time,” Hanks told Parade magazine about playing a real person.
You can check out the trailer below:
image: Sony