Clint Eastwood’s 15:17 to Paris gets early 2018 release

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

Clint Eastwood is a regular at the Oscars, with movies like MYSTIC RIVER and AMERICAN SNIPER snagging Best Picture nominations, with UNFORGIVEN and MILLION DOLLAR BABY going on to win (and him Best Director with them). This is why folks had hoped his new movie, 15:17 TO PARIS, would be a key player this year the race. However, the movie has officially been given a release date of February 9, 2018, putting it far outside the eligibility of this year’s Oscars.

The news broke last night that the movie would come out early next year last night, dashing all hopes of yet another awards success for Eastwood, even though this one is a bit more non-traditional than his previous work. The movie tells the real-life tale of how three American friends stopped a mass shooting on a train in France in 2015, and Eastwood cast the real men involved, Anthony Sadler, Alek Skarlatos, and Spencer Stone, to play themselves.

This release date may come off as a hint to those keeping an eye on the film that perhaps the studio doesn’t have faith it will be the kind of awards-bait movie people expect. The reality is that given how the movie didn’t begin filming until this summer, it may just not be ready to come out in the next two months, and though the 2018 release keeps it out of the race it’s necessary to make the movie work. There's really no point in rushing to put the movie out this year if it isn't as good as it can be. And it's not like Eastwood needs anymore Oscars. Don't get greedy, Clint. 

15:17 TO PARIS pulls into theaters February 9, 2018.