Chris Rock and Christian Bale Find a ‘Dead White Man in a Box’ in David O. Russell’s Starry ‘Amsterdam’ Trailer

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Chris Rock and Christian Bale are facing a sticky situation in the manic first look at director David O. Russell’s star-studded thriller “Amsterdam.”

“You have a dead white man in a box,” Rock’s character says at the start of the trailer. “Not even a casket. It doesn’t even have a top on it.” As he wheels the pine container away, he laments: “Who do you think is going to get in trouble here?”

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From there, the 1930s-set trailer backs up in time to offer a little context to the confounding circumstances at hand. Described as “a fascinating and richly intricate tale that brilliantly weaves historical fact with fiction,” the crime epic follows three close friends — two soldiers played by Bale and John David Washington and a nurse portrayed by Margot Robbie — who find themselves at the center of one of the most shocking secret plots in American history.

“We formed a pact and we swore to protect each other… no matter what,” Bale’s character narrates in the clip.

That’s all good and well, until the trio find themselves accused of killing someone — “Which is not true,” Bale confides in compatriots played by Rami Malek and Anya Taylor-Joy.

But they sure look guilty, at least according to those at the scene of the crime. From there, the trailer goes off the rails as they set out to find someone, anyone (starting with Robert De Niro’s character, a friend of the victim who was killed “because of something monstrous he had seen”) to help them uncover the truth.

“This is becoming a lot larger than any of us,” observes Robbie’s character, who has seen some stuff. “I had to stab a guy; I had to hit a lady with a brick one time.”

The cast, a real who’s who of Hollywood, also includes Taylor Swift, Alessandro Nivola, Andrea Riseborough, Matthias Schoenaerts, Michael Shannon, Mike Myers and Zoe Saldaña.

Russell also wrote and produced the film, marking his first feature since 2015’s “Joy.” The Oscar nominee’s credits also include “Silver Linings Playbook” and “American Hustle.” Drake and Adel Nur (a.k.a. Future the Prince) serve as executive producers on “Amsterdam.”

Disney’s 20th Century Studios and New Regency will open “Amsterdam” in theaters on Nov. 4. Watch the trailer below:

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