Gone Girl set to open New York Film Festival

Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike are set to star in David Fincher's thriller

Ben Affleck stars as Nick Dunne in David Fincher's film adaptation of Gillian Flynn's Gone Girl (IMDB)

Upcoming thriller Gone Girl, starring Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike, is set to open this year’s New York Film Festival.

David Fincher’s movie adaptation of Gillian Flynn’s bestselling novel, about a man suspected of killing his wife after her mysterious disappearance on their wedding anniversary, is due for UK release on 3 October.

A trailer released earlier this month begins with Nick being questioned about Amy’s death by a high profile TV interviewer who asks: “Did you kill your wife?”

From then on, Amy’s ghostly voice can be heard saying, “I will practise believing my husband loves me”, while Neil Patrick Harris stars as her creepy ex-boyfriend Desi.

Glynn has penned the script in her screenwriting debut and revealed that the third act will be entirely different from the book’s controversial ending.

Fincher, meanwhile, has opened the New York Film Festival before, with The Social Network in 2010. It earned eight Oscar nominations and won three for Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Original Score and Best Film Editing.

Last year’s choice, Paul Greengrass’ Captain Phillips about the Maersk Alabama hijacking, was nominated in six categories, leading many critics to see opening the festival as central to the awards race.

The 52nd annual New York Film Festival runs from 26 September to 12 October at the Lincoln Center and features around 25 films.