Los Angeles, Apr 23 (IANS): Steven Spielbergs untitled Pentagon Papers drama, which is rumored to star Tom Hanks and Meryl Streep, will open in limited release on December 22.

It will expand nationwide on January 12, 2018, a week after the Golden Globes broadcast, reports variety.com.

Hanks is said to play Washington Post editor Ben Bradlee, with Streep handling the role of publisher Katharine Graham.

The Washington Post pair made the decision to publish a classified history of the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War over the objections of the Nixon administration.

The opening slot puts the Spielberg film in the hunt for Academy Awards gold along with the likes of Alexander Payne's "Downsizing," "The Current War" with Benedict Cumberbatch, and "The Greatest Showman" with Hugh Jackman.

Twentieth Century Fox is distributing the film.

The studio also announced that "Red Sparrow," a spy thriller that reunites actress Jennifer Lawrence with her "Hunger Games" director Francis Lawrence, will open on March 2, 2018.

It was originally slated to debut on November 10.