5 Oscar Contenders You Might Not Have Heard Of (But Should Pay Attention To)
1. Backseat
Director Adam McKay, though mostly known for his raunchy comedies such as Anchorman or Step Brothers, has seen his career take a massive turn in recent years. McKay essentially wrote himself a blank check to tackle any subject of his choosing after the success of The Big Short, his searing drama about the 2008 financial crisis. His next subject? One infamous Vice President by the name of Dick Cheney.
McKay’s next film, rumored to be tentatively titled Backseat, will chart the course of Cheney’s political career up to and including his tenure as Vice President to George W. Bush.
With a sure to be transformative performance by Academy Award winner Christian Bale, and a powerhouse supporting cast filling the roles of the ancillary players in Cheney’s life, including Amy Adams as Lynne Cheney, Steve Carell as Donald Rumsfeld, and (recent Academy Award winner) Sam Rockwell as the former President George W. Bush, this film could become a late-in-the game Oscar favorite.
The film has not yet been slated for any fall film festivals, but a premiere at the AFI Festival is not out of the books. Annapurna Pictures will release the film on December 21st.