After months of being simply listed as Untitled David O. Russell Abscam Project, the period flick due for release in December has today been given an official title.
BoxOfficeMojo and Sony/Columbia have announced that American Hustle will hit US screens from December 13th, 2013. Starring Christian Bale, Amy Adams and Jeremy Renner, the film will also reunite Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and Robert De Niro who have all made the leap from one Russell project to another in quick succession, having all previously been Oscar-nomiated for their work on 2012's Silver Linings Playbook. In addition to these six heavy hitters, End Of Watch's Michael Pena and stand-up-comic-of-the-moment Louis CK are also entering the American Hustle fold to help Russell bring Eric Singer's script (originally titled American Bullshit) to life. Set in the 1970s, American Hustle will tell the story of a con artist (Bale) and his partner (Adams) who are forced into working with 'the feds' (Cooper). Sure to combine history, drama and comedy in America's most fashionable of eras, it (so far) has all the makings of another David O. Russell hit. After scoring nominations across the board with The Fighter (not to mention an Oscar for Bale), and global adoration for Silver Linings Playbook, Russell has managed to assemble perhaps the most intimidating cast of 2013 as he looks to secure a third consecutive critical success. Already we have been privy to an assortment of on-set photos of Bale sporting a combover and a pot-belly, Cooper in pink curlers and Lawrence looking typically radiant. Certainly, the film looks to launch these three even further into the stratosphere, but the curiosity will surely now lie in the fates of the supporting characters. With talent so off-the-charts, how will De Niro and Renner manage to find a place to shine? If anyone can direct an expansive cast, it's David O. Russell. While American Hustle seems, at this point, too good to be true, maybe as moviegoers we're just going to be that incredibly lucky at the end of the year. Or maybe it will be terrible? American Hustle will be released on limited screens in the US on December 13th and nationwide on December 25th. No official word yet on a UK release date.