The development gives some breathing room to the Christmas Day frame, busy with five other wide releases. "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip", "Concussion", Mark Wahlberg's comedy "Daddy's Home, dramedy "Joy and Point Break" featuring Jennifer Lawrence" as well as "Star Wars: The Force Awakens", opening the previous week.

Christmas Day also includes bows from Quentin Tarantino's "The Hateful Eight" and new Leonardo DiCaprio-starrer drama "The Revenant" from Oscar-winner Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu.

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"Snowden" has been eagerly anticipated given that it is the first narrative feature to tackle the polarising figure, considered a hero by some and a traitor by others.

The Snowden documentary "Citizenfour" won this year's best documentary Oscar. Kieran Fitzgerald and Stone wrote the screenplay.

Wildbunch is selling international territories on Snowden at the Toronto Film Festival. A spokesperson for Open Road Films did not comment.