Top 100 Most Anticipated Films of 2013: #93. Susanne Bier’s Serena

Serena

Director: Susanne Bier
Writer(s): Christopher Kyle
Producer(s): 2929 Productions’ Mark Cuban and Todd Wagner, Ben Cosgrove, Chockstone Pictures’ Paula Mae and Steve Schwartz, Nick Wechsler
U.S. Distributor: Rights Available
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Toby Jones, Rhys Ifans, Sean Harris

Almost at the three decade mark in filmmaking, Susanne Bier’s fourth film in the English language will start receiving buzz at this year’s Oscars red carpet run – Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper who topline Depression-era book adaptation will be there for Silver Linings Playbook. Perhaps this pic needs the wattage, but I’m expecting this to be a premium quality drama-like item (perhaps nothing close to her best to date with 2004’s Brothers) but Appalachia and a strong female heroine could prove alluring as a backdrop and forefront.

Gist: Based on Ron Rash’s novel, this is set in Depression-era North Carolina, the future of George Pemberton’s (Cooper) timber empire becomes complicated when it is learned that his wife, Serena, cannot bear children.

Release Date: With several European territories booked for a fall premiere, you’d think that producers have quite the conundrum on their hands: do they strike while hot (Silver Linings at the Oscars) and attempt to squeeze in a summer release date or do they set themselves on the same path a la Silver Linings beginning with a huge TIFF premiere?