Earlier this month we brought you the first official synopsis of Ben Affleck’s new political/period drama Argo.  Then we saw a few set photos of Alan Arkin with Affleck who was looking fly in his wide-collared wardrobe complete with gold chain and chest hair a-poppin’.  The supporting cast—which includes names like Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, and Michael Parks—combined with the Affleck’s directing talent make Argo look like a must-see.  Now we know when we will see: According to Box Office Mojo, Warner Bros. has set the release date for September 14, 2012.  This release date follows yesterday's release date news about another potential WB awards contender, Gangster Squad.Hit the jump for the synopsis and my thoughts on the release date.Setting a political drama after the summer blockbuster season is not uncommon (i.e. Ides of March).  But in the case of 2012, this positioning becomes exponentially more important.  If Argo were to come out any earlier, it’s entirely possible that it might get buried under the massive releases of Total Recall, The Dark Knight Rises, The Amazing Spider-man, and to a lesser extent Step-Up 4.  Affleck’s last directorial effort, The Town, had a similar release date back in September of 2010 and managed to rack up a $92 million dollar box office. As it stands right now, Argo will be opening against Resident Evil 5, which in all likelihood will not be competing for the same business.If Warner Bros. follows the same pattern as The Town, we should also expect Argo to swing by next year's Toronto International Film Festival.  While The Town ultimately only received one Oscar nomination (Jeremy Renner for Best Supporting Actor), Argo may get a boost due to its political undertones and being released only a couple months before the 2012 Presidential Election.Here's the official synopsis for Argo:

Based on true events, “Argo” chronicles the life-or-death covert operation to rescue six Americans, which unfolded behind the scenes of the Iran hostage crisis—the truth of which was unknown by the public for decades.  On November 4, 1979, as the Iranian revolution reaches its boiling point, militants storm the U.S. embassy in Tehran, taking 52 Americans hostage. But, in the midst of the chaos, six Americans manage to slip away and find refuge in the home of the Canadian ambassador. Knowing it is only a matter of time before the six are found out and likely killed, a CIA “exfiltration” specialist named Tony Mendez (Affleck) comes up with a risky plan to get them safely out of the country. A plan so incredible, it could only happen in the movies.

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