Earlier this year, we reported that Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle director David O. Russell was eying a potential reunion with Jennifer Lawrence, his star on those acclaimed films, for a biopic about Miracle Mop inventor Joy Mangano then called Mother of Invention. Now, we’ve learned that the movie, retitled Joy, has come together and has been slotted for a December 2015 release date.
The release date news came from Exhibitor Relations, which simply tweeted the following:
Fox will release David O. Russell’s JOY on Christmas Day 2015.
— Exhibitor Relations (@ERCboxoffice) June 6, 2014
Joy was written originally by Bridesmaids scribe Annie Mumolo, but Russell has tweaked it since taking on the project. The film will focus on American inventor and entrepreneur Joy Mangano, who went from being a Long Island single mother of three to a millionaire and beloved celebrity due to wildly successful products like the Miracle Mop and Huggable Hangers.
Lawrence is not definitely attached to Joy yet, but word is that interest from the actress is high and that she will likely take on the title role. Whoever ends up playing Mangano, though, Fox clearly thinks that the film has a shot on the awards circuit – and why shouldn’t it? After all, Russell has directed three knock-outs in a row with The Fighter, Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle. Those films collected a grand total of three Oscars and 22 Oscar nominations. There’s no reason for Fox to suspect that Joy will be anything less than another success for the director.
Likely to hit theaters before Joy, though, is Russell’s political satire Nailed, which stars Jake Gyllenhaal, James Marsden, Jessica Biel and Catherine Keener. That flick centers on a small-town waitress who ends up in Washington, D.C. and involved with a senator after a nail becomes lodged in her head and influences her behavior. It’s expected to land sometime this year.
No release date for Nailed yet, but we can look forward to seeing Joy on December 25th, 2015.
