It’s been two years since Serena wrapped production, and we still haven’t seen it. Not only have we not seen it, but the film has been keeping a pretty low profile, too. There haven’t been any trailers or screenings on the festival circuit, which is quite odd considering that Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper are in the lead roles, with Oscar winner Susanne Bier sitting behind the camera. Now, to make the whole thing even more confusing, the movie has just earned itself a sudden October 24th release in the UK.
Based on the novel by Ron Rash, Serena is a depression-era drama that tells the story of George and Serena Pemberton, “two love-struck newly-weds who begin to build a timber empire.” Check out the full synopsis below:
North Carolina mountains at the end of the 1920s —George and Serena Pemberton, love-struck newly-weds, begin to build a timber empire. Serena soon proves herself to be equal to any man: overseeing loggers, hunting rattle-snakes, even saving a man’s life in the wilderness. With power and influence now in their hands, the Pembertons refuse to let anyone stand in the way of their inflated love and ambitions. However, once Serena discovers George’s hidden past and faces an unchangeable fate of her own, the Pemberton’s passionate marriage begins to unravel leading toward a dramatic reckoning.
I mean, it does sound interesting. And the talent involved is undeniable. So why has it taken so long for the light to be shed on this project? The likely answer is that somehow, Serena turned out to be not a very good movie. How that happened is anyone’s guess, but I would imagine that this isn’t the Oscar contender that the producers probably thought it would be.
Regardless, Serena will finally hit theatres in the UK on October 24th. A US release date will likely follow shortly after as Magnolia already has the rights stateside.
