Russell Crowe and Ethan Hawke’s New Thriller Locks Theatrical Debut — Here’s When
Oscar winner Russell Crowe and five-time Oscar nominee Ethan Hawke team up in The Weight, hitting North American theaters September 18. Vertical nabbed the thriller after a successful festival run and is giving it a wide release.
Russell Crowe and Ethan Hawke are teaming up for a Depression-era adventure-thriller that actually looks like it wants you in a theater. The movie is called 'The Weight,' and it is officially headed for a wide theatrical release this fall.
Release plan and early buzz
Vertical has picked up North American rights and set September 18 for the wide rollout. The film bowed at Sundance, then hit the Berlin International Film Festival, and critics have been into it — it is sitting at 94% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes after that festival run.
What it is
Hawke plays Samuel, a man torn away from his daughter and thrown into a brutal prison. Crowe is Warden Clancy, who offers Samuel a razor-edge deal: lead a gold-smuggling run from a remote mine with a chain gang of other inmates in exchange for a shot at freedom. The trek through the wild is dangerous, sure, but the real threat starts brewing inside the group.
Who is making it
This is the first feature from director Padraic McKinley. He is leaning into a classic, big-screen vibe and seemed fired up about how the film played at the festivals.
'Seeing the film connect with and energize audiences at Sundance and Berlinale has been incredibly rewarding, and has only amplified my excitement to partner up with Vertical to bring this kind of big-screen, throwback experience to theaters in September.'
Vertical partner Peter Jarowey is clearly betting on the star power and tone.
'Anchored by powerhouse performances from Ethan Hawke and Russell Crowe,' he called it 'a smart, character-driven thriller that captures the tension and sophistication of the great 1970s classics while feeling sharp and contemporary for today's audiences.'
The screenplay is by Matthew Chapman, Shelby Gaines, and Matthew Booi, from a story by Booi and Leo Scherman.
The leads have a lot going on
Crowe, an Oscar winner, has been stacking projects — 'Nuremberg,' 'Kraven the Hunter,' and 'The Exorcism' among them. Hawke, a five-time Oscar nominee, just scored a Best Actor nod for 'Blue Moon' and is also lined up for 'Black Phone 2' and the FX series 'The Lowdown.'
With that festival heat and a September date locked, 'The Weight' is shaping up to be one of fall's better bets for anyone who misses tense, character-first thrillers on the big screen.