The Weinstein Company has picked up distribution rights for Precious director Lee Daniels’ period drama The Butler.  The film tells the true story of Eugene Allen, a butler who served at the White House from 1952 to 1986, and Daniels has filled his supporting cast with a number of familiar faces to play the notable persons who walk the halls of the White House throughout this period.  The stars of the film, however, are Forrest Whitaker as Allen, Oprah Winfrey as his wife, and David Oyelowo as his son.  Though one might think this is an early awards contender acquisition, Daniels’ latest film The Paperboy has been viciously panned this year so it’s with cautious optimism that I approach The Butler.  The film is being readied for release sometime in 2013.

Hit the jump to read the full press release and the check out a new image of Whitaker in character.  The film also stars Mariah Carey, John Cusack, Jane Fonda, Cuba Gooding Jr., Terrence Howard, Minka Kelly, Lenny Kravitz, Melissa Leo, James Marsden, Alex Pettyfer, Vanessa Redgrave, Alan Rickman, Live Schreiber, and Robin Williams.

As The Expendables looks to blow its way onto the big screen, Lionsgate has returned to the somewhat honorable practice of releasing tie-in titles on Blu-ray. This includes an extended cut of Rambo, the 1989 Sylvester Stallone prison picture Lock Up, and – from the same year – the Walter Hill minor classic Johnny Handsome. Though Rambo was made twenty years after the fact, they all feel very late 80’s in their way, which is perfect in setting the tone for The Expendables. All of the three are very enjoyable in a machismo, cheap beer sort of way, and with talents like Stallone, Donald Sutherland, Tom Sizemore, Sonny Landam, John Amos, Frank McRae, Mickey Rourke, Lance Henriksen, Ellen Barkin, Morgan Freeman, and Forrest Whitaker adding oomph to the cast, there’s a lot of red meat to chew on. My reviews of the Rambo: Extended Cut, Lock Up, and Johnny Handsome on Blu-ray after the jump.