Charlize Theron in 'Young Adult,' releasing in time for Oscars

Jason Reitman, director of
Up in the Air and
Thank You For Smoking, has set a December release date for his next film,
Young Adult -- in time for Oscar consideration.

Written by Oscar-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody, who worked with Reitman on Juno, the film also stars Patrick Wilson ( Watchmen), Elizabeth Reaser ( The Twilight Saga) and comic Patton Oswalt ( The Informant!).
The dramedy opens in limited release on December 9, one week prior to wide release on December 16, and will compete with the season's heavy-hitters.

The story follows a writer of teenage literature who moves back to her small hometown after a divorce and pursues an ex-boyfriend who is married with children.

Young Adult will be up against New Year's Eve, a star-studded romantic-comedy in the vein of Valentine's Day, and then Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol with Tom Cruise and Jeremy Renner, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows with Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law, and The Iron Lady with Meryl Streep.

Theron will star as the Evil Queen in Snow White and the Huntsman with Kristen Stewart and Chris Hemsworth in 2012, as well as in Ridley Scott's Prometheus with Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender.

Reitman's next project may be Bonzai Shadowlands, teaming up with The Office television series star Rainn Wilson ( Juno) for a dark comedy about a depressed former master ninja.

RC