With the never-ending barrage of trailers that Hollywood likes to dump on the public at certain points of the year, it can be easy for good content to get lost in the shuffle. However, there was one trailer that stood out among the muck of superhero and blockbuster advertisements. Based on a real-life figure, if not one of the most controversial figures to date, this would be none other than the biopic covering of the life of former Vice President Dick Cheney. Cheney will be portrayed in another chameleonic performance by Christian Bale (“Hostiles”) in the upcoming film “Vice.”

If one were to ask “What if Adam McKay were to direct a movie about the housing crisis?” back in 2008, anyone in Hollywood would have cracked up laughing. McKay, prior to 2015, was primarily known for his goofy, zany, almost surrealistic comedies starring frequent collaborator Will Ferrell (“Daddy’s Home 2”), which included “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy,” “Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby,” “Step Brothers” and “The Other Guys.” But a funny thing happened in 2013. McKay said yes to directing “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues,” arguably the film that kicked off the vast amount of bad sequels to fantastic 2000s’ comedies that would come after it. The reason for this, however, was completely different.

McKay used the opportunity for directing the comedy sequel in order to make his passion project: a pseudo, hyper-realistic take on the housing crisis that almost crippled the world’s economy for a second time. The film was “The Big Short.” It starred Bale, Steve Carell (“Battle of the Sexes”), Ryan Gosling (“Blade Runner 2049”) and Brad Pitt (“Deadpool 2”) as the different people who figured out the market was coasting on a bubble that was about to collapse and managed to profit from it by betting against the market. The film shocked the world with its unique take on an otherwise very scary issue that, quite frankly, is not talked about enough. It received a ton of awards and even won Adapted Screenplay for McKay and his co-screenwriter, Charles Randolph.

It looks as though McKay has found a new path for his filmmaking career, as he is continuing with his efforts for real-life stories as opposed to absurdist comedies. “Vice” is set to cover Chaney’s life from his origins as Haliburton chief executive to his reign as secretary of defense under George H. W. Bush and becoming the most powerful vice president in history. Bale once again packs on a ton of weight for the role, reportedly gaining 40 pounds for the part. Bale is well known for losing and gaining vast amounts of weight for roles, with his most famous instance being 2004’s “The Machinist,” for which he lost 60 pounds, followed by gaining all the weight back a year later for “Batman Begins.”

Besides Bale, the supporting cast all look terrific as well. Amy Adams (“Sharp Objects”) is set to portray Cheney’s wife, Lynn, while Carell and Sam Rockwell (“Three Billboards outside Ebbing, Missouri”) will play Donald Rumsfeld and George W. Bush, respectively. If McKay keeps up his signature style with this film, it could be another absolutely absurd piece of storytelling that could provide one of the best films of the year.

Image from Annapurna Pictures via YouTube