Will Wild usher in Reese Witherspoon’s own version of a “McConaissance”?

A release date has been set for Wild — and that release date is very Oscar-friendly. Wild, an adaptation of Cheryl Strayed’s bestselling memoir chronicling her 1,100 mile hike along the Pacific Coast Trail, will open in select theatres December 5th. This shows that Fox Searchlight is high on the film and believes it could be a contender.

Wild is directed by Jean-Marc Vallee who directed Matthew McConaughey’s Oscar-winning performance in Dallas Buyers Club. Witherspoon has of course already won an Academy Award but hasn’t been involved in a project of this caliber in years. She appeared in Mud alongside McConaughey, and in retrospect it seems like that movie could be seen as a key moment in both of their career trajectories.

Wild was adapted for the screen by author Nick Hornby, who also adapted An Education (starring Carey Mulligan in her breakout performance) back in 2009. Hornby is a top tier writer, and did a very good job of writing a female character entering unfamiliar territory and going through a period of tremendous change in that film so hopefully he managed to do the same in Wild. Witherspoon is a phenomenally talented actress, the film looks like a winner in our book.

Here’s the description:

With the dissolution of her marriage and the death of her mother, Cheryl Strayed (Reese Witherspoon) has lost all hope. After years of reckless, destructive behavior, she makes a rash decision. With absolutely no experience, driven only by sheer determination, Cheryl hikes more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail, alone. WILD powerfully captures the terrors and pleasures of one young woman forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddens, strengthens, and ultimately heals her.