The past four months have been quite the roller coaster ride for audiences in anticipation for Martin Scorsese’s The Wolf of Wall Street. Originally the movie was slated for a November 15th release date, but was rumored pushed back to early 2014 due to a reported three hour run-time and a potential NC-17 rating. Now it seems that Paramount is optimistic that a Christmas 2013 release is quite possible.

A couple weeks ago news broke that Paramount scheduled Alexander Payne’s Nebraska for November 15th, the same release date for The Wolf of Wall Street. While no official word of any new release date was initially given, it seemed unlikely that Paramount would schedule two of its Oscar contenders for release on the same weekend. While there was disappointment, the news came with no surprise – the last Scorsese/DiCaprio effort Shutter Island received a similar delay when it was pushed back to February 2010.  According to Showbiz 411, that push back can be averted if a cut can be finished by November 25th.

Working with Scorsese to meet the post-production deadline is his long time editor, Thelma Schoonmaker, who has edited every single Martin Scorsese film since Raging Bull. The film must be completely finished by November 25th due to Scorsese’s commitment to be the jury president at the Marrakesh Film Festival in December. A November 25th deadline also ensures that Paramount will be given a month to market the film.

If Wolf does make the deadline it might mean a subsequent push back for Chris Pine’s Clancy-reboot, Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit, which is also slated for a Christmas Day release.