This fall is crowded with so many movies I want to see, I keep forgetting Steven Spielberg‘s long-in-development Abraham Lincoln movie is in the mix. The film stars the great Daniel Day-Lewis as our 16th President, and while we had seen some set photos, the studio has now released the first official image. Unsurprisingly, Day-Lewis easily conveys Lincoln’s gravitas and thoughtfulness. While the script is based off the great non-fiction novel by Doris Kearns Goodwin, Team of Rivals, the movie will only cover the last four months of Lincoln’s life, specifically examining his attempt to close out the Civil War, and bring a permanent end to slavery.
Hit the jump to check out the image and learn more about the project. The film also stars Sally Field, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tommy Lee Jones, James Spader, John Hawkes, Michael Stuhlbarg, David Strathairn, Walton Goggins, David Oyelowo, Tim Blake Nelson, Bruce McGill, Jackie Earle Haley, Lee Pace, and Jared Harris. Lincoln opens November 16th.
Speaking to EW, Spielberg says the movie will begin with Lincoln trying to figure out how to extend the Emancipation Proclamation:
“Lincoln’s realization that the Emancipation Proclamation, the thing he is most known for, was simply a war powers act that would easily be struck down by any number of lawyers after the cessation of hostilities after the Civil War,” Spielberg says. “He needed to abolish slavery by constitutional measure — and that’s where we start.”
Spielberg also says that their take on the character will try to examine the qualities that made Lincoln such a remarkable leader:
“Lincoln had a very, very complicated – and at the same time, extremely clear — inner life,” the director says. “He thought things out. He talked things out. He argued both sides of every issue. And he was very careful in making any decision. As a matter of fact, his opponents and his enemies criticized him often for being impossibly slow to a decision.”
I was a bit disappointed with Spielberg’s two films from last year, but I love the cast he’s lined up for Lincoln, he’s working from solid source material, and I’m hoping that this all comes together as one of 2012′s better movies.
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our 16th president????….you know there are people from others countrys reading this?????
So? This is clearly an American website. Just deal with it, my goodness…
What an idiotic complaint. “Our” doesn’t mean everybody’s. Learn grammar. Of course, “our” refers to US Americans. That doesn’t confuse anyone except you.
Sheesh…people are just trying to bash Matt Goldberg anyway they can…even over something as small and insignificant as saying “our 16th president.” Get over yourself.
STFU
it’s going to be a tight race between Day Lewis and Phoenix for best actor this year
I think it’ll be interesting. Phoenix and Lewis are definitely two guys who will be nominated. But there are definitely a lot of other movies to keep an eye on that could shake up the race a bit. Argo, Killing Them Softly, Cloud Atlas, Flight just to list a few. It’ll be a fun race to keep an eye on as the year goes on.
Now I NEED to see a trailer!
“I was a bit disappointed…”
That’s all I read to know this was by Goldberg.
Not everyone thought Warhorse and Tintin were that great.
Oh, i’m not disagreeing if they were bad or not, I personally haven’t seen them, but it’s just typical Goldberg copy.
If its typical why are you whining about it?
Because it’s funny to see people like you get bent out of shape defending a mediocre writer.
Speilberg hasn’t made a good movie in 10 years. His overly sweet gimmick is getting old, and he better bring a cynical and thought provoking approach with this film. But, like saving private ryan and amistad I bet we get a good first half and a shit second half.
Obviously you didn’t see The Minority Report
Minority Report came out 10 years ago
I hope it doesn’t gloss over Lincoln’s imperfections. I was a great leader, but he’s also not the clean cut hero he’s made out to be. Many of his decisions were made for political reasons.
Ordered that of the Indians and Half-breeds sentenced to be hanged by the military commission, composed of Colonel Crooks, Lt. Colonel Marshall, Captain Grant, Captain Bailey, and Lieutenant Olin, and lately sitting in Minnesota, you cause to be executed on Friday the nineteenth day of December, instant, the following names, to wit …
The other condemned prisoners you will hold subject to further orders, taking care that they neither escape, nor are subjected to any unlawful violence.
Abraham Lincoln,
President of the United States
DDL is the man. Have high hopes for this. Oh, you were disappointed Goldberg? How interesting……
Obviously you didn\’t see The Minority Report
Spielberg’s Lincoln becomes president to prove something to his absentee father, while looking for his missing horse, amid scenic battles, hoping for a reconciliation and validation, so he never has to feel alone ever again in his life and daddy FINALLY says how proud he is of his son.
Dudes, is this the guy that inspired Linkin Park? Cool…
Does he still kill Vampires? ‘coz if he doesn’t that would suck, because we all know he did!
Daniel Day-Lewis playing Tyler Perry playing the 16th president
This guy is such a splendid actor. I am really amazed with this transformation and how well he seems to pull it off. I don’t think he has ever given a movie he was a part of, anything but his best.