Reese Witherspoon Hits the Trail in First Trailer for 'Wild'

Is this the year of Reese Witherspoon's big comeback and return to the Oscar race? After a few down years she's set for a big 2014....excluding the dreadful Devil's Knot that was already released. She'll be starring in the Sudanese refugee drama The Good Lie, and she also has a part in Paul Thomas Anderson's anticipated crime flick, Inherent Vice. But the film that may put gold on her mantle is Wild, the survival story based on Cheryl Strayed's acclaimed memoir and directed by Dallas Buyers Club's Jean-Marc Vallee.

The first trailer for Wild has been released and it's got Oscar bait written all over it, but really it's just nice to see Witherspoon back in a position of prominence. Witherspoon, looking grungy and without a hint of make-up, portrays Strayed who goes into a tailspin after the end of her marriage and death of her mother. Putting years of destructive behavior behind her, she embarks on a dangerous journey of self-discovery by making the 1100-mile trek along the Pacific Crest Trail.  Witherspoon is the centerpiece but she'll get some support from Gaby Hoffmann and Laura Dern.

Wild hits theaters on December 5th, a date that signals Fox Searchlight's confidence it will make some noise in awards season. I'm really excited for this one.