September 24, 2013 - 11:59 AMT
Meryl Streep, Jeff Bridges sci-fi epic “The Giver” release date set

Following the wild success of Lee Daniels' The Butler, The Weinstein Co. and Walden Media have decided to open Phillip Noyce's sci-fi epic The Giver on Aug. 15, The Hollywood Reporter said.

The Butler, which opened Aug. 16, has once again proven that August can be a fertile time for moviegoing (for decades, the final month of summer was considered a dumping ground). To date, The Butler has earned $106.5 million in North America for TWC.

Based on the dystopian YA novel by Lois Lowry, The Giver stars Meryl Streep, Jeff Bridges and Brenton Thwaites as members of society in which there is no conflict, racism or sickness. TWC and Walden are partners on the film.

Thwaites plays a young boy who is selected for his life service as the Receiver of Memories and works with The Giver (Bridges), an old man who teaches the boy to use his unique gifts of the senses. Streep will play the society’s Chief Elder, an authoritative and antagonistic woman who assigns the young their tasks.

The Giver, with a budget of about $25 million, is being produced by Nikki Silver of Tonik Productions along with Neil Koenigsberg and Bridges. Vadim Perelman wrote the adapted script.