"The Big Short," based on Michael Lewis's book about the 2008 housing crash, is doing what its four protagonists are doing: betting big. But while the men chronicled in the book and movie bet big against banks, the movie is betting on another lucrative market: awards season.

The first trailer for "The Big Short" dropped today, with the surprise announcement that it would be opening this Christmas. It will close the AFI Fest in Los Angeles in November, before hitting theaters in limited release Dec. 11.

The movie should be a heavy-hitter this awards season. It stars Christian Bale,Brad Pitt,Steve Carell, and Ryan Gosling as four stock-savvy outsiders who uncover how volatile the housing market is in 2008.

They decide to bet against the banks, and when the bubble bursts, hit the jackpot. The tale comes from Lewis, the writer behind other acclaimed books — turned into acclaimed, award-nominated movies— such as "Moneyball" and "Blindside." And "The Big Short" was directed by Adam McKay, better known for helming comedies like "Anchorman."

Apparently, according to Deadline, Paramount planned to release the movie next year, but saw a nearly complete cut by McKay and decided to speed things up. That will certainly make this year's Oscar race even more interesting, particularly in the male actor categories, as "The Big Short" actors go up against male-dominated, ensemble prestige films like "Black Mass," "The Revenant," "The Hateful Eight," and "Spotlight."

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