Remember Rupert Wyatt? He made Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Okay, now you remember him. Good, because he has a new movie coming out, a remake of 1974’s The Gambler starring Mark Wahlberg as a literature professor with a gambling problem who runs afoul of gangsters. Paramount is bringing the film to theaters on December 19 and they’ve finally decided to give us a first look via three new pictures courtesy of USA Today.
The film is obviously being groomed as an Oscar contender and the USA Today piece is doing everything in its power to set the stage starting the article off saying:
For months before showing up on set, Wahlberg pored over the script, became versed in every literary mention and sat through university lectures for inspiration. He is ready to show his Jim Bennett to the world. The Gambler is slotted for an awards season-friendly limited release Dec. 19.
Wahlberg, who lost 60 pounds for the part, going from 197 to 137 pounds, told the paper, “My character is in every scene, but during the 12-hour days over six months I was on fire. You prepare your whole life for a part like this. I was living on adrenaline.”
These first look pictures include co-stars Jessica Lange and Brie Larson while the film also features John Goodman as a loan shark, Michael Kenneth Williams, Richard Schiff, Emory Cohen, Leland Orser and George Kennedy.
Take a look at two more pictures from The Gambler below and expect the first trailer any time now.
