'Hitchcock' Gets a Release Date ... Will It Stir Up the Oscar Race?

Sensing a few possible opening in the various Oscar races, Fox Searchlight Pictures announced that it would release Hitchcock on Nov. 23, 2012, putting the film right in the middle of Oscar season. Hitchcock, which is based on the book Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho, stars Anthony Hopkins as Alfred Hitchcock with Helen Mirren playing Hitchcock's wife Alma Reville and Scarlett Johansson playing Psycho star Janet Leigh. Sacha Gervasi makes his directorial debut.

Many had expected Fox Searchlight to make a 2013 release, but with the Best Actress category looking a bit light for 2012 films, the studio must have realized they had a window to make some Oscar noise. How much will Hitchcock mix things up in the Oscar race? Hopkins and Mirren have to players, right?