Jackie, the Natalie Portman-fronted biopic revolving around Mrs. Kennedy’s account of JKF’s assassination, has found a distributor in Fox Searchlight.
Present at both Venice and the ongoing Toronto Film Festival, word of Fox snapping up rights to Pablo Larraín’s poignant drama comes hand-in-hand with confirmation that Jackie will bow in theaters on December 9, neatly aligning the Portman vehicle with awards season.
Described as the “most unknown of the known women of the 20th century,” Larraín’s biopic intends to shed light on the trials and tribulations faced by Jackie Kennedy immediately after the killing of her nearest and dearest circa 1963. That’s a journey we’ve seen in motion thanks to last week’s delicate first clip and here, representatives of Fox Searchlight lauded praise on the upcoming feature now that it’s secured a place on the studio’s slate.
Here’s what Fox Searchlight presidents Presidents Nancy Utley and Stephen Gilula shared: “Pablo Larraín’s ‘Jackie’ is a daring, one-of-a-kind cinematic portrayal of a beloved icon. Led by an indelible performance from Natalie Portman and supported by a richly talented ensemble of actors and artists, the film is one we are thrilled to bring to audiences later this year.”
Echoing that sentiment, Larraín also turned in a statement of his own, revealing that, “I am delighted that Fox Searchlight will be releasing ‘Jackie’. Their movies have been an important influence on me as a filmmaker, and it is a personal achievement for me to have them bring this very special story of a beautiful, sophisticated and mysterious woman to the world.”
Jackie also stars Greta Gerwig, Peter Sarsgaard, Max Casella, Beth Grant, John Hurt and, after firing Portman to Oscar glory with Black Swan, Darren Aronofsky is on board to produce the political biopic. December 9 is the date for your diaries.