Jake Gyllenhaal Puts the Story Above Everything – Even Murder – in New ‘Nightcrawler’ Trailer (Video)

Gyllenhaal checks his ethics at the door as a crime journalist who’s willing to cross any line to get the best story

The latest trailer for Jake Gyllenhaal‘s thriller “Nightcrawler” slows down the action to finally show what this film is going to be about. Gyllenhaal plays a down-on-his-luck guy looking for a break. He stumbles upon an idea after watching a news crew cover a horrific accident.

He decides to jump on the bandwagon as a freelance crime journalist, going as far as he needs to in order to get the best angles on the juiciest stories. After all, his motto is “if you want to win the lottery, you have to make the money to buy a ticket.”

See video: Jake Gyllenhaal Documents Crimes, and Maybe Commits Some, in First Trailer for ‘Nightcrawler’

Nowhere in that motto is there anything about a moral compass or ethics, and Gyllenhaal apparently leaves both of those behind as he chases stories.

While it’s not completely clear that he goes so far as to create crime opportunities that he can then cover, he’s certainly not doing his duty as a citizen. After witnessing a murder, he opts to chase down the suspect himself rather than call the police.

Also read: Reese Witherspoon, Jake Gyllenhaal, Jessica Chastain Films Headed to Toronto Film Festival

Things will likely only escalate from there, as Gyllenhaal tries to please his clients, including Rene Russo as the head of a news network, and skirt the law in his neverending quest for lottery ticket money.

Also read: Jake Gyllenhaal First Look as ‘Nightcrawler’ Surfaces in Craigslist Video: ‘Hard Worker Seeking Employment’

The trailer is the first clear indication of what the film is about. “Nightcrawler” launched its marketing campaign in a very unorthodox way, by posting a video ad on Craigslist, which was first reported by TheWrap. In the ad, Gyllenhaal’s character Louis Bloom is seeking employment. That was followed by an action-packed first trailer that showed how far he was willing to go for the money, emphasizing his lottery catchphrase.

“Nightcrawler” also stars Bill Paxton and Riz Ahmed. Written and directed by Dan Gilroy, it was produced by Gyllenhaal, Gilroy, Jennifer Fox, David Lancaster, Michel Litvak and Gary Michael Walters. Open Road Films will release the film to theaters on October 17.

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