LION Trailer

Welcome to every parent’s nightmare: your kid isn’t just lost in a store but has been whisked away by a train, putting so much distance between you that it’s impossible to reconnect. What would you think after decades of not seeing your child? Would you still be holding out hope?

In the real-life case that inspired Lion, this situation turned out about as well as possible. The boy was adopted by a nice Australian couple and grew up relatively happily. Eventually, he was even able to search for the family that haunted his memories.

Creating a narrative from this event could go in several directions, relying solely on the drama of an unmoored young man or playing it as a thriller-esque search. Dev Patel has the range to pull off either, and considering that the film will clock in at over 2 hours, there’s certainly time to incorporate both.

We don’t have enough history from director Garth Davis to predict where he’ll take it, as his most notable work is co-directing Top of the Lake with Jane Campion. That mini-series was a complicated and beautiful thing, though, so don’t let your expectations slide. Whatever direction he chose, it seems that filming went well, with Davis retaining a production company and actress Rooney Mara for his next film, Mary Magdalene.

Lion should stay in the spotlight through the months to come thanks to backing by awards-season guru Harvey Weinstein. I’m guessing that Davis will be the main beneficiary of this attention, earning the name recognition that eluded him when under Campion’s shadow.

Lion is directed by Garth Davis and stars Dev Patel, Rooney Mara, and Nicole Kidman. It will be released in the U.S. on November 25th, 2016. For international release dates, click here.

Do you think Lion will be a player during awards season? Let us know in the comments!