First Look at Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg in ‘The Fighter’ Trailer

Last summer, the first pics from “The Fighter” set surfaced online, showing a very emaciated Christian Bale and a bigger than ever Mark Wahlberg. Now, the first official trailer is out – and it packs one mean punch.

As we also informed you at the time, the film is based on a true story of two brothers, Dickie Eklund (Bale) and “Irish” Mickey Ward (Wahlberg).

While one is a drug addict trying to salvage whatever is left of his life, the other is an aging boxer out to prove he still has a spark in him, enough to make him a champion.

The trailer not only shows the relationship the two brothers share, but also hints at some serious drama, in what will certainly be a tear-jerking inspirational sports story.

“The Fighter is based on the true story of Ward and Ekland, chronicling their early days on the rough streets of Lowell, Massachusetts, through to Eklund’s battle with drugs and Ward’s eventual world light welterweight title,” the Daily Mail writes of the plot.

“Eklund was eight years older than his brother and a regular on the American boxing circuit in the late seventies and early eighties. He retired from the sport in 1985 and became trainer to his brother,” the same publication says.

“Away from the ring, Eklund was addicted to crack cocaine and spent time in prison on various charges, including drug possession,” writes the Mail.

The trailer is already getting lots of hype with fans on dedicated forums, not only because of the two stars in it, but also because of the transformation both underwent to become their characters.

Bale’s weight loss is the most remarkable, with several shots in the trailer showing the actor gaunt and very pale in the face – last summer, word even had it the actor would most certainly win an Oscar for this part.

“Poor Christian Bale. The guy has already gone super-method on us not once, but twice – when he essentially starved himself for roles in ‘The Machinist’ and ‘Rescue Dawn’ – but it looks like he’s ditched the hamburgers and Ensure once again based on photos from the set of ‘The Fighter,’ his new movie about a drug-addled boxer,” EW wrote at the time.

“Seriously, the Academy: How much weight does Bale have to lose before you finally award him an Oscar? […] Nicole Kidman only had to don a fake nose to nab the prize! But let’s just go ahead and give him one before he slips through a crack on the street, ‘mkay?” the same publication asked.

Below is the first official trailer for “The Fighter,” out in US theaters on December 10. Enjoy.