I didn't see this news posted anywhere else here.

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http://www.variety.com/article/VR111795 ... Id=13&cs=1

Clint's 'Letters' coming early
December release puts pic in kudos contention
By PAMELA MCCLINTOCK

Clint Eastwood

Warner Bros. is moving up the release date of Clint Eastwood's Japanese-language "Letters From Iwo Jima" -- the companion pic to "Flags of Our Fathers" -- from Feb. 9 to Dec. 20.

New frame puts "Letters" up for awards consideration, with Warners planning to make the film available to critics groups and guilds in its limited run.

Pic will open in L.A. and New York, and possibly in San Francisco.

Eastwood made the date change for "Letters" after a screening in Japan earlier this week led to an enthusiastic response and after consulting with Steven Spielberg, who brought in Eastwood to direct "Flags" for DreamWorks. Spielberg is a producer on both pics.

DreamWorks partnered with Warners on "Flags." The two studios partnered again when Eastwood decided he wanted to shoot a companion picture telling the story of the battle of Iwo Jima from the Japanese perspective.

The new U.S. release date was locked in early Wednesday evening as Eastwood was in Japan to promote the Nov. 15 world preem of "Letters," which opens in Japan on Dec. 9. Film was always intended to bow in that country first.

Paramount is distributing "Flags" in the U.S., where it has grossed $31 million at the box office. Warners is distributing the film overseas, where it has taken in more than $13.3 million.

Warners has worldwide distrib rights to "Letters."

Timing on the late-year announcement is unusual, but not unprecedented.

Late arrival onto the end of year shedule - just like Million Dollar Baby...

flags was a major bust...mayb this will be better

This won't help flags of our fathers one bit. The film wasn't anything special but I'll still check out letters as long as i'm up to reading text that day.