Southpaw gets re-release for awards season

Jake Gyllenhaal may have been snubbed by the Oscars for last year’s Nightcrawler, but The Weinstein Company is doubling down on its chances to have the actor recognized for his critically acclaimed performance in Southpaw. Antoine Fuqua’s boxing drama, which has already grossed $52.1 million since opening in July, will return to theaters on more than 300 screens starting today, Oct. 2.

According to The Weinstein Company’s Erik Lomis, President of Theatrical Distribution & Home Entertainment, the re-release “gives more serious-minded audiences who may have missed it the first time around a chance to see a film that we feel is a very serious contender.”

Gyllenhaal drew praise from numerous critics for his role as Billy “The Great” Hope, a champion boxer who rises back to the top after a personal tragedy, but the actor faces a potentially tough Oscar race thanks to strong performances in films such as Steve Jobs, The Danish Girl, and The Martian. Back in May, when the film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, Harvey Weinstein publicly vowed that Gyllenhaal would land a nomination, as “revenge” for the Nightcrawler snub.

Written by Kurt Sutter, Southpaw also stars Forest Whitaker, Rachel McAdams, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, and Naomie Harris.