So when you see the words "early next year" you know that means the first two or three months of 2015, generally regarded as a cinematic dumping ground. Magnolia Pictures picked up the rights to the film some time ago and have done nothing with it in the two years since shooting wrapped. Serena was shot after Lawrence and Cooper's Silver Linings Playbook and before American Hustle, to get a sense for how long it's been sitting idle. A U.K. release was planned for next month after a premiere at BFI London Film Festival, which is when the first reviews should start rolling out and chances are they will be harsh. THR cites sources that say the film was passed over by multiple distributors before Magnolia took over, with one saying "The film was so edited, it made no sense." Another ripped the performances, calling them "uneven, particularly Lawrence's [descent into madness]." Ouch.
And yet, I still firmly believe the movie will do well if only because of the stars involved. Let's not forget the turmoil World War Z encountered but largely due to the presence of Brad Pitt it became one of last year's biggest hits. Plus, Serena shouldn't have a lot of competition to deal with at that time of year.
