Promised Land will be one of the last films entering the Oscar race this year, with Gus Van Sant’s latest feature getting a limited US release at the tail end of the month.
The film has a lot of potential, with one of the finest casts of the year, headed up by Matt Damon. After catching a promising first trailer back in September, Yahoo Movies have now debuted a new gallery, giving us a look at the leading cast.
“Promised Land is the new contemporary drama directed by Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting, Milk). Matt Damon plays Steve Butler, an ace corporate salesman who is sent along with his partner, Sue Thomason (Frances McDormand), to close a key rural town in his company’s expansion plans. With the town having been hit hard by the economic decline of recent years, the two outsiders see the local citizens as likely to accept their company’s offer, for drilling rights to their properties, as much-needed relief. What seems like an easy job for the duo becomes complicated by the objection of a respected schoolteacher (Hal Holbrook) with support from a grassroots campaign led by another man (John Krasinski), as well as the interest of a local woman (Rosemarie DeWitt). Promised Land explores America at the crossroads where big business and the strength of small-town community converge.”
Damon is joined by a fine supporting cast, headed up by John Krasinski (The Office), Rosemarie DeWitt (Your Sister’s Sister), Frances McDormand (Fargo), Scoot McNairy (Killing Them Softly), Titus Welliver (Lost), and Hal Holbrook (Into the Wild).
Van Sant is directing from a script co-written by Damon and Krasinski, based on a story by critically acclaimed and award-winning novelist, Dave Eggers.
Promised Land will be given a limited US release on 28th December, just in time for the Oscars. It will then open wide across the States on 4th January, before coming to the UK a few months later on 19th April. For now, here are the excellent new images, which you can click through to enlarge.
