'The Master' - one of this year's big Oscar hopefuls - has moved its release date a month earlier and will now hit theaters on September 14th.

Originally scheduled to open on October 12th (with perhaps a premiere at some fall film festivals), Variety reports the film will now open in select theaters midway through September, all but eliminating a serious festival tour.

The film - which stars Joaquin Phoenix, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams - was not announced as part of the Toronto Film Festival or the Venice Film Festival but was rumored to be a part of Fantastic Fest in Austin. But that festival runs from September 20-27, a week after 'The Master' would hit select theaters.

It's not clear exactly why The Weinstein Co. has shuffled some dates (the Brad Pitt film 'Killing Them Softly' was pushed back a month to October 19th) but if anyone knows how to properly position films for Oscar success, it's Harvey Weinstein.

'The Master,' directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, is not the only film from The Weinstein Co. looking for Oscar glory this year. Quentin Tarantino's 'Django Unchained' hits theaters on Christmas.

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