UPDATE WEDS 11AM: I’ve confirmed with sources the Wolf will not be at the door until next year. Disappointing for everyone, but good things come to those who wait.
Earlier: It does seem as though Martin Scorsese’s “Wolf of Wall Street” will not be pawing its way to an Oscar race and 2013 release. I had heard a few days ago, and then yesterday the news started to leak out, that Scorsese wasn’t finished and neither was Oscar winning editor Thelma Schoonmaker. There have been rumors of three hour versions. The movie will not make its November 14th release date. Now Paramount is saying maybe they’ll make it for Christmas.
But that seems unlikely. Scorsese is committed to running the jury at the Marrakech Film Festival from November 29th to December 7th. That’s basically two weeks shot in the schedule. When Scorsese agreed to be the jury president he thought “Wolf” would already be in release. But rushing now, and having to be away for two weeks, seems impossible.
At this point, waiting is a better idea anyway. Leonardo DiCaprio and Matthew McConnaughey will want Oscar campaigns. But Lead and Supporting Actor are already very crowded categories. So is Best Picture. Shoving “Wolf” into the mix at the last minute doesn’t sound like such a great idea. It might be wiser to debut “Wolf” in Berlin or in Cannes, and then have a big launch.
And really, Best Picture is very crowded– Blue Jasmine, 12 Years a Slave, The Butler, Gravity, August Osage County, Mandela, Rush, Inside Llewyn Davis, Nebraska, Dallas Buyers Club, and All Is Lost have all been seen. Still to come, at the very least, are The Monuments Men, Foxcatcher, American Hustle, Captain Phillips, and Saving Mr. Banks. And all those are ready to go now.
