The first full-length trailer for Molly's Game has arrived. Starring Jessica Chastain, the movie was written by Oscar-winning screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, and also marks his directorial debut. Based on a true story, Molly's Game follows 26 year-old Molly Bloom (Chastain), a former skier and one-time Olympic hopeful, who found herself running the world's biggest underground poker game. The stakes were high, and though Bloom catered for the likes of the Hollywood Elite, Russian mobsters and business moguls, she was eventually caught.

As is often the case with a female criminal, the media painted a certain picture of Bloom - and in Molly's Game, after her arrest by the FBI, she sets out to prove she's not the woman that the press portray, with the help of her criminal defense attorney, played by Idris Elba. The Molly's Game teaser didn't give much away regarding Molly's character, but the actual trailer (see above) offers a better look at both her and Elba's character, as well as the overall movie itself.

Related: Cate Blanchett Starring in Aaron Sorkin's Lucille Ball Biopic

There's no denying Sorkin has screenwriting pedigree; A Few Good Men, Charlie Wilson's War, Steve Jobs, and The Social Network are just a few of the movies that have cemented his status as one of the best screenplay writers working today, to say nothing of his work on the small screen (with shows such as The West Wing and The Newsroom). Molly's Game now gives him the chance to extend his talent still further, and being at the helm of this movie will no doubt bode well for future projects. The release of Molly's Game is also perfectly timed for awards season contention, and it seems likely that the movie will get more than a few awards nominations.

Chastain is a huge talent; the Oscar-nominated star is always refreshing to watch on screen, and it's great to see her cementing her leading-lady status. Elba, meanwhile, is renowned for his work on the small screen and is long-overdue a breakout role on the big screen. While his recent turn in The Dark Tower has been praised, the movie itself has not, so hopefully Molly's Game will give him the chance to be a strong part of an ensemble cast.

Kevin Costner, Michael Cera, Brian d’Arcy James, Chris O’Dowd, Graham Greene, and Jeremy Strong also star in Molly's Game; an impressive lineup and one that was no doubt helped by Sorkin's name being all over the project. Whether Sorkin can successfully make the leap from writing to directing, remains to be seen, but so far it all looks very hopeful indeed.

NEXT: Jessica Chastain Confirms X-Men: Dark Phoenix Role

Source: STX Entertainment

Key Release Dates