While many folks are furiously updating and upgrading their Oscar predictions as festival season gets underway, the thing is we’re barely into the swing of the awards season, and more crucially, most of the films have yet to be seen. Some are going to flop, others are going to be expectedly great while a small handful more will truly surprise. Is “The Book Thief” from “Downton Abbey” director Brian Percival, going to be one of those that sneaks into contention?
Well, Fox are certainly showing their hand with this first trailer for the film that makes no mistake that they are also the studio that brought you last year’s “Life Of Pi” (the promo for “The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty” also dealt that card). An adaptation of the best-selling novel by Marcus Zusak (it spent over 280 weeks on the New York Times’ bestseller list), the film stars Geoffrey Rush, Emily Watson and “Monsieur Lazhar” youngster Sophie Nelisse, in the tale of a young girl, living outside Munich during WWII with her foster parents, who has to help hide a Jewish refugee in their home. Add to that a subplot about the reading and the power of the printed word, and you could have some Oscar bait, with the filmmakers already praising Nelisse’s performance.
“It’s a big ask to have someone that age carry such a key role. If Sophie didn’t get it right, everyone else would have struggled around her. Fortunately, she just nailed it,” the director told USA Today.
“The Book Thief” arrives in theaters on November 15th, and will be powered by a score from John Williams. Check out the trailer and new images from the movie below.
