Jeremy Renner Plays Endangered Journalist in New Trailer for 'Kill the Messenger'
In the past two years, we’ve seen Jeremy Renner as a big-haired politico (American Hustle), a fairy-tale assassin (Hansel & Gretel: With Hunters), and a bow-slinging superhero (The Avengers). But in this fall’s Kill the Messenger — the trailer for which you can watch above — Renner returns to the kind of costume-free drama that’s helped him earn two Academy Award nominations.
Based on the 2006 book of the same name by Nick Schou, Messenger tracks the true story of Gary Webb, a Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist who, in the mid-1990s, exposed connections between the CIA-supported Nicaraguan contras and the crack-cocaine epidemic in the United States. Webb’s reporting was attacked by critics — not to mention some of his own colleagues — and resulted in death threats and depression. But it also raised still-relevant questions about media ethics, sourcing, and the press’ role in protecting government secrets. We suspect Edward Snowden will be BitTorrenting this one from his Russian hideaway in [REDACTED].
Renner’s been part of some impressive ensembles lately, and Messenger is no exception, with supporting turns from Barry Pepper, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Rosemary DeWitt, Ray Liotta, Andy Garcia, and Michael Sheen. It hits theaters Oct. 10, right in time for Oscar season.
