Fox confirmed Friday that it would in fact give NASA drama Hidden Figures a limited, Oscar-qualifying release on Christmas Day.
The biographical drama, which was previously set to hit theaters Jan. 13, will instead go wide on Jan. 6.
Hidden Figures, directed by Theodore Melfi, focuses on the untold story of three brilliant African-American women (Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae) working at NASA who served as the brains behind the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit in 1962. The pic shows how the trio battled stereotypes and defied expectations as they made history.
The cast also includes Kevin Costner, Kirsten Dunst, Jim Parsons, Mahershala Ali, Aldis Hodge and Glen Powell.
Allison Schroeder and Melfi adapted Margot Lee Shetterly’s book of the same name for the big screen. Peter Chernin, Jenno Topping and Pharrell Williams are among the producers, with Williams also involved with the soundtrack.
As part of the reshuffling, the studio’s Bryan Cranston- and James Franco-starring comedy Why Him? will now open on Friday, Dec. 23, instead of Christmas Day.
Hidden Figures‘ Oscar-qualifying run has long been rumored, with The Hollywood Reporter‘s awards analyst Scott Feinberg writing after the film’s Toronto International Film Festival sneak peek in September that he had heard such a plan was in the works. At the TIFF screening of a few clips, Melfi said the movie was still a “work-in-progress.”
Feinberg also has included the film in his Oscar predictions forecast.
