Natalie Portman's "Jane Got A Gun FINALLY Has a Release Date

It's been a long time since we've seen Natalie Portman challenge herself as an actress. After delivering the performance of a lifetime in the smash-hit "Black Swan" (and winning an Oscar for Best Actress in the process), Portman took some (much) needed time off after she announced she was pregnant with her first child. The Oscar win inspired interest in projects she had filmed prior to Black Swan's release, but were never put out to the public. Following Black Swan's success, "No Strings Attached", "Thor" "The Other Woman" and "Your Highness" were released all in 2011 right as she began her hiatus.

After giving birth, Portman (contractually) appeared in "Thor 2", while filming her directorial debut (entitled "A Tale of Love and Darkness in which she plays the protagonist's mother as well) and 2 yet-to-be-seen Terrence Malick films. Though she's been a busy bee,  it's been awhile since we've actually seen a compelling Natalie Portman performance.


That being said, the long-awaited (and troubled) "Jane Got A Gun" finally has a release date. It's Portman's buzziest project (unless you count the Malick projects, which I don't because who knows when we'll actually see them) at the moment. It's also her most troubled. The film was originally set to be directed by Lynne Ramsey ("We Need to Talk About Kevin") however, on the first day of shooting, she was a no show. Right after, Michael Fassbender (slated to be the male lead) left to film "X-Men: Days of Future Past" while star Jude Law also left the production.

Several crew members working on the film (including a cinematographer) departed as well, and it was decided that the screenplay was also in need of some rewrites. Subsequently, Joel Edgerton ("Warrior") was cast in Fassbender's role, and Bradley Cooper was quickly added to replace Jude Law, but then dropped out after conflicts arose whilst finishing "American Hustle". It was finally decided that Ewan McGregor ("Star Wars Episodes I-III", "Moulin Rouge!") was to fill the role now vacated by both Law and Cooper, and that director Gavin O'Connor ("Tumbleweeds") would replace Ramsey.

After all that drama, it was unsure whether the film would find footing with a production company, let alone be released at all. However, both Relativity and The Weinstein Company acquired the film last year during the Cannes Film Festival. It was originally slated for an August 27th release of this year, but has been officially moved.

Jane Got A Gun will be released on February 27th, 2015. The film is a Western, and centers around Jane (Portman) as she attempts to save her husband (played by Noah Emmerich) after he is threatened by his ex gang and their leader (McGregor). She asks her ex-lover (Edgerton) for help in fighting them.

I was truly hoping this would be Natalie's next date with Oscar (the material is meaty, and unlike anything she's done before), however, February and Oscar aren't exactly friendly with one another. However, it's nice to just see her challenge herself as an actress again after laying low for awhile.