Paramount Pictures has released the first The Gambler red-band trailer for director Rupert Wyatt’s (Rise of the Planet of the Apes) remake of the 1974 drama, which was written by Oscar-winning The Departed scribe William Monahan.  The film stars Mark Wahlberg as a literature professor whose gambling spirals out of control, affecting both himself and those around him.  This is very much a teaser, as it's essentially a sweaty onslaught of footage anchored by some excellent, expletive-filled dialogue from John Goodman, but it's a really solid first look at the film.  Wyatt appears to be tapping into the anxiety and stretched-thin nature of Wahlberg's lead character with his visual take on the film, and I've gotta say it's really promising stuff.  I look forward to getting a better read on the movie when the theatrical trailer arrives, but for now this is a very swell tease.

Watch the first The Gambler red-band trailer and check out the first poster after the jump.  The film also stars Brie Larson, Jessica Lange, John Goodman, and Michael K. WilliamsThe Gambler opens in limited release on December 19th and expands wide on January 2, 2015.

Trailer via Yahoo! Movies.

Here's the official synopsis for The Gambler:

Jim Bennett (Academy Award®-nominee Mark Wahlberg) is a risk taker. Both an English professor and a high-stakes gambler, Bennett bets it all when he borrows from a gangster (Michael Kenneth Williams) and offers his own life as collateral. Always one step ahead, Bennett pits his creditor against the operator of a gambling ring (Alvin Ing) and leaves his dysfunctional relationship with his wealthy mother (Academy Award®-winner Jessica Lange) in his wake. He plays both sides, immersing himself in an illicit, underground world while garnering the attention of Frank (John Goodman), a loan shark with a paternal interest in Bennett’s future. As his relationship with a student (Brie Larson) deepens, Bennett must take the ultimate risk for a second chance…

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