Woody Allen’s ‘Wonder Wheel’ Scores Oscar Season Release Date

The summer movie season usually means two things: buttery blockbusters and a new film from Woody Allen. You would have to go back to 2010’s “You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger” for the last time Allen released a film in the fall, but this year, the director is once again skipping the warmer weather for a glitzier debut.

Amazon Studios will release the director’s new film in limited release on December 1st. Kate Winslet, Justin Timberlake, Juno Temple and James Belushi star in the ’50s set film, which features larger-than-life characters, lovers, infidelity, and gangsters (according to an official logline). So, as per usual, details are being kept firmly guarded, and they likely will be for a while.

READ MORE: Re-Release Trailer For Woody Allen’s Newly Restored ‘Manhattan’ Will Make You Fall In Love With New York All Over Again

The big question is if Amazon will take the film through the traditional fall film festival/awards season campaign. Allen isn’t exactly the biggest booster of his own work, and doesn’t generally do the festival circuit either (other than Cannes, where he’s always welcome). That said, Allen did recently participate in his first Facebook live conversation, so maybe he’s feeling a bit more comfortable with putting himself in front of his films.

Currently, the only other film scheduled for December 1st is A24‘s “The Disaster Artist” starring James Franco as Tommy Wiseau. But we’re still only halfway through the year, and that release corridor is bound to fill up with Oscar contenders. [Variety]