Los Angeles, Feb 19 (IANS): 'A Man Called Otto', starring Tom Hanks, has been booked for a Christmas Day release. The film was acquired by Sony last week for $60 million out of the European Film Market, reports 'Variety'.

Directed by Marc Forster with a screenplay adapted by David Magee from a best-selling novel by Fredrik Backman, the film narrates the story of a grumpy widower who holds the rest of his neighbourhood to his staunch rules.

But just as Otto is about to give up on his life, he sparks a new friendship with his neighbours, prompting him to undergo a transformation.

The Whitney Houston biopic 'I Wanna Dance With Somebody' will be released within days of the Tom Hanks-starrer.

With Naomi Ackie playing Houston, the film has been moved from December 23 to December 21 to accommodate the release of 'A Man Called Otto' and to avoid a box-office clash.

The film, with screenplay by Anthony McCarten, will see filmmaker Kasi Lemmons taking the director's chair to helm the cast of Stanley Tucci, Nafessa Williams, Clarke Peters, Tamara Tunie and Ashton Sanders.

Meanwhile, Scott Beck and Bryan Woods's '65', starring Adam Driver, Ariana Greenblatt and Chloe Coleman, has been delayed by a year to April 14, 2023.