Although Peter Jackson is best known for splatter films, King Kong, and some trilogy regarding a magic ring that I think almost nobody saw,* one of his pet projects over the last few years has been a documentary about the "West Memphis Three."
For those of you who don't know about the "West Memphis Three" they are Damien Echols, Jason Baldwin, and Jessie Misskelly, three men wrongfully accused of killing three boys in Arkansas and sent to prison in 1993. All three were released from prison in August of last year.*
Peter Jackson and his partner Fran Walsh produced the film and Amy Berg directed. The movie first debuted earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival and now Sony Classics Pictures has picked up the distributing rights.
At this point Sony hasn't unveiled a release date but my guess will probably be late this year since this has Oscar written all over it.
*That was a joke.
**Director Joe Berlinger also chronicled the Memphis Three's plight in his Paradise Lost trilogy. The exposure the three's story received led to overwhelming support from celebrities like Johnny Depp and Eddie Vedder. That coupled with a strong internet campaign was incredibly influential in Echols, Baldwin, and Misskelly's release. Never underestimate the power of movies to change the world.
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