Justin Chadwick’s biopic, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom, is all but guaranteed to be a strong contender at the Oscars this year, particularly with the muscle of The Weinstein Company behind it and a late November US release date set.
The film sees Idris Elba take the titular role as the world-renowned South African politician, who served as President from 1994 to 1999, and who was the first black South African to hold the position. And with a little over half a year before the film arrives in theatres, the first poster has been released online, with Elba front and centre.
The story of South African freedom fighter Nelson Mandela, spanning over seventy years, including his struggle against apartheid, 27 years in jail and his rise to prominence as a political leader and head-of-state.
Elba stars opposite Naomie Harris, perhaps best known for her recent performance opposite Daniel Craig in Skyfall, who plays Winnie Mandela. And the two are joined by Tony Kgoroge, Riaad Moosa, Zolani Mkiva, and Jamie Bartlett.
Chadwick (The Other Boleyn Girl) is directing from a script penned by the Oscar-nominated William Nicholson (Gladiator, Les Misérables).
The film is amongst those that Harvey Weinstein and co. have taken to Cannes ahead of the inevitable awards campaign towards the end of this year and the start of next year, heading into the Oscars. Elba is already being eyed as a strong contender in the Best Actor category, and with a role as iconic as Mandela, and the likes of TWC behind the campaign, it’s very easy to imagine him getting the nomination come January ’14.
Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom will be released in the US on November 29th. No word as of yet on a UK release date, but we’ll hopefully see its arrival on our shores this November too.
