Is a second consecutive Best Actor Oscar in the cards for Eddie Redmayne? According to Deadline, His latest film - the period transgender biopic The Danish Girl - wowed audiences during its premiere at the 72nd Venice Film Festival, earning a 10 minute standing ovation from the crowd at the Sala Grande.
The film stars Redmayne - who bagged an Oscar last year for his portrayal of Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything - as Lili Elbe, one of the first known recipients of gender reassignment surgery. He described the role as a 'dream come true.' He once again undergoes a considerable phyiscal and psychological transformation as he potrays the struggles that come with undergoing what was then an exteremly radical procedure .
The film - which is based on the David Ebershoff's novel of the same name - was directed by fellow Oscar winner Tom Hooper, whose previous credits include The King's Speech and The Damned United. He and Redmanyne previously worked together in 2012's stage to screen adaptation of Les Miserables.
Aside from Redmayne, the cast includes names like Alicia Vikander, Ben Whishaw, and Amber Heard.
Early reviews of the film have been promising.
Variety's Peter Debruge believes the film will be the year's 'most talked about arthouse phenomenon.' He believes that the performance Redmayne gives here trumps his work in The Theory of Everything.
The Hollywood Reporter's David Rooney isn't as enthusiastic calling it 'A respectable if somewhat emotionally muted retelling of a remarkable life.''
The film opens in the United States on November 27. Pundits are prediciting it to be a big player in the upcoming awards race, but whether it brings home any trophies will remain to be seen.