Denzel Washington, who directs and acts in 'Fences,' speaks onstage during the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' 7th annual Governors Awards. (Photo : (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images))
Paramount has set out a date in the heart of awards season to launch the big-screen Denzel Washington's third directorial feature for a Dec. 16.
The August Wilson's Pulitzer Prize- and Tony-winning play "Fences," which Denzel Washington is directing and starring in alongside Viola Davis, Mykelti Williamson and Russell Hornsby will open December 16 in New York and Los Angeles and get a wide break on Christmas Day, Entertainment Weekly reported.
The movie tells the story of a Negro League baseball player, Troy Maxson (Washington), who retired and working as a garbage man, grapples with family matters as he regretfully remembers missing out on a chance to play in the Major League. Troy lives with his wife, son Cory and his younger brother Gabriel, an ex-soldier whose war injury to his head has caused him psychological damage. Lyons is a musician and Troy's son from a previous relationship.
Scott Rudin and Todd Black are producing the movie with Washington for Paramount Pictures. The production began earlier this year in Wilson's hometown of Pittsburgh, where the transformation of the city's historic Hill District into the film's 1950s set happened, as reported by Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
The production of "Fences" wrapped in June, and star Viola Davis celebrated the end of filming on Twitter. "It's a wrap!! This is history!" she wrote: "Thank you Denzel! Thank you August.... "It's time August! It's time"!"
December time, the holidays are normally a busy time at the box office with the release of "Star Wars" prequel "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" and Jennifer Lawrence's highly anticipated sci-fi love story "Passengers," as well as video game adaptation "Assassin's Creed" and Will Smith's "Collateral" Beauty.
Oscar nominations voting takes place shortly after "Fences" release that is between Jan. 5-13 in 2017. Though Paramount has not won a Best Picture Oscar since their Paramount Vantage offshoot distributed "No Country for Old Men" in 2007, "The Big Short" generated awards season heat last year as it won top honors from the Producers Guild and the Writers Guild ahead of scoring a Best Picture nomination.
Denzel Washington's 'Fences' snags awards season release date, watch the video below.
