David O Russell's latest film, the Jennifer Lawrence-starring biopic Joy, is being pitched for a tilt at the 2016 Oscars after producers revealed it will hit US cinemas next Christmas.
Deadline reports the film, in which Lawrence stars as the creator of the Miracle Mop, will be released during the end-of-year window often set aside for awards season candidates. With Russell and Lawrence ubiquitous in the Oscars race in recent years with collaborations such as Silver Linings Playbook and American Hustle, the timing indicates that Joy is hoping to follow suit. Annie (Bridesmaids) Mumolo has written the script.
Joy Mangano is a mother of three who became one of the most successful American entrepreneurs with the invention of the self-wringing Miracle Mop. She eventually sold her company Ingenious Design to the Home Shopping Network in a multimillion-dollar deal but stayed on as company president. Mangano is currently one of the channel's most successful presenters and also invented Huggable Hangers.
Russell's film The Fighter saw Christian Bale take home the best supporting actor Oscar at the 2011 ceremony, with Lawrence taking best actress in 2013 for her turn in Silver Linings Playbook and receiving a best supporting actress nomination for American Hustle earlier this year. Russell, meanwhile, picked up best director nominations for all three films; he also received a best adapted screenplay nod for Playbook and a best original screenplay nomination for Hustle.
