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MARY MAGDALENE is an authentic and humanistic portrait of one of the most enigmatic and misunderstood spiritual figures in history. The biblical biopic tells the story of Mary (Rooney Mara), a young woman in search of a new way of living. Constricted by the hierarchies of the day, Mary defies her traditional family to join a new social movement led by the charismatic Jesus of Nazareth (Joaquin Phoenix). She soon finds a place for herself within the movement and at the heart of a journey that will lead to Jerusalem. Written by Helen Edmundson and Philippa Goslett, MARY MAGDALENE also stars Chiwetel Ejiofor and Tahar Rahim.

Cast: Rooney Mara, Joaquin Phoenix, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Tahar Rahim
Directed by: Garth Davis
Written by: Helen Edmundson, Philippa Goslett

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After shifting hands in the wake of The Weinstein Company’s collapse, Rooney Mara’s biblical drama Mary Magdalene has landed a new distributor and release date.

IFC Films on Wednesday announced its acquisition of the Garth Davis-directed movie — starring Mara as the titular religious figure and Joaquin Phoenix as Jesus — further revealing that it will get a theatrical release April 12.

Mary Magdalene was originally acquired by TWC in February 2016, prior to the release of Davis’ Oscar-nominated film Lion during that year’s awards season, and initially intended for a theatrical premiere over the Easter holiday weekend in 2018. TWC eventually pulled Mary Magdalene from its schedule in January 2018, three months after a pair of exposés in the New York Times and New Yorker detailed allegations of sexual harassment and assault against studio co-founder Harvey Weinstein; TWC subsequently filed for bankruptcy.

As it stands, Mary Magdalene follows “one of the most misunderstood women in history,” according to an IFC press release. The film will chart her escape from an arranged marriage to her evolution into one of Jesus’ closest confidants (and the only woman among his loyal band of disciples) — all while butting heads with apostles Peter (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Judas (Tahar Rahim).

Written by Helen Edmundson and Philippa Goslett, Mary Magdalene will also serves as the final theatrical release to be composed by late musician Jóhann Jóhannsson.

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