Tatum stars as Olympic wrestler Mark Schultz in Foxcatcher, based on the true story of the bizarre relationship between Schultz, John du Pont (Steve Carrell) and older brother Dave Schultz (Mark Ruffalo) … one that ultimately leads to murder. The film made its debut at the Cannes Film Festival, and will be released November 14 in the United States. THR hailed the screeplay as “superb … making some very diverse characters psychologically plausible.” As for Tatum: “[He is] a smoldering, festering piece of emotional raw meat.… You feel his pain.”
To play Olympic wrestling benefactor John Eleuthere du Pont in Foxcatcher, director Bennett Miller recalled that Steve Carell wanted embark on the lengthy preparations that Philip Seymour Hoffman did for Capote, including what the actor called “a very specific physicality that I thought was informed by what was going on inside him.”
That transformation is on full display in the film’s latest trailer, as an unrecognizable and haunting Carell touts a gravelly voice and facial prosthetics to explain his mission. “Athletes need role models — like anyone, they need people to look up to,” he says. “I want more than anything to win a gold medal, and we have someone who could do that, but there are some psychological issues that we need to take care of.”
Before a massive chant erupts, he concludes, “I am leading men. I am training them, I am teaching them, I am giving them a dream, and I am giving America hope.”
The trailer debuted as the film landed stateside at the Telluride Film Festival over the weekend and was met with a strong ovation.
Foxcatcher hits theaters Nov. 14. Watch the trailer below.
Email: Ashley.Lee@THR.com
Twitter: @cashleelee
