Michael Lewis, writer of both The Blind Side and Moneyball, has quickly become of one Hollywood’s go-to authors when it comes to award-worthy pitches; after all, both of the scribe’s previous adaptations muscled their way into the Oscar race in their respective year of release. Now, Paramount has laid claim to Lewis’ financial drama, The Big Short, a star-studded, fast-talking picture that centers on the housing market crash of 2008.
Following four outsiders who each kept one eye trained on the status of the global economy, The Big Short is the name of an organization that the quartet – rounded out by Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, and Brad Pitt – form when they unearth a banking loophole that could gift them extraordinary wealth.
With director Adam McKay behind the lens, the film in many ways represents a dramatic departure for the filmmaker, who has established an audience in the comedy genre following Anchorman and Step Brothers. How and ever, it’s a testimony to the confidence that Paramount has in his feature film that it’s been slated for a release in the thick of the awards season – an awards season that also features some prominent heavy-hitters such as David O. Russel’s Joy, The Revenant and The Hateful Eight.
Also starring Tracy Letts, Hamish Linklater, John Magaro, Byron Mann, Rafe Spall, Jeremy Strong and Finn Wittrock, The Big Short is due to have its world premiere at AFI Fest at the beginning of December, before opening to a nationwide release on December 23.
When four outsiders saw what the big banks, media and government refused to, the global collapse of the economy, they had an idea: The Big Short. Their bold investment leads them into the dark underbelly of modern banking where they must question everyone and everything. Based on the true story and best-selling book by Michael Lewis (The Blind Side, Moneyball), and directed by Adam Mckay (Anchorman, Step Brothers) The Big Short stars Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling and Brad Pitt.
