How did one kidnapping become a national sensation? “Dead Man’s Wire” tells the story of a 1977 kidnapping and the resulting fascination around its central figures. The film also provides a compelling examination of issues that continue to influence our society. Celebrated director Gus Van Sant helms ‘Wire’ from a screenplay by Austin Kolodney. It drew a favorable response after premiering during this year’s Venice Film Festival, with an extended standing ovation for Van Sant and attending cast members. “There’s something immensely pleasurable in watching a consummate craftsman once again connect form and content,” The Playlist’s Marshall Shaffer wrote.
Van Sant assembles an accomplished cast of performers for the upcoming film. Bill Skarsgård and Dacre Montgomery star as the pivotal duo. Skarsgård portrays kidnapper Tony Kiritsis, while Montgomery takes on the role of kidnapped Richard Hall. The pair is joined by co-stars Colman Domingo, Cary Elwes, Myha’la, and Al Pacino. Domingo can currently be seen in “The Running Man” and voices The Cowardly Lion in “Wicked: For Good.”
The film’s official synopsis:
“Based on a true story, the 1977 kidnapping of a prominent banker grips the nation and turns the abductor into an outlaw folk hero. As the media frenzy peaks, the standoff becomes a spectacle of desperation, defiance and blurred justice, which resonates even today.”
A kidnapping draws public attention and scrutiny in “Dead Man’s Wire.” The film will have an awards-qualifying run on December 12. It opens in select theaters January 9 before going wide January 16. Watch the new trailer below.
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