Nightcrawler (film)

Nightcrawler
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Dan Gilroy
Written by	Dan Gilroy
Produced by	Michel Litvak Jake Gyllenhaal David Lancaster Jennifer Fox Tony Gilroy
Starring	Jake Gyllenhaal Rene Russo Riz Ahmed Bill Paxton
Cinematography	Robert Elswit
Edited by	John Gilroy
Music by	James Newton Howard
Production company	Bold Films
Distributed by	Open Road Films
Release dates	September 5, 2014 (2014-09-05) (TIFF) October 31, 2014 (2014-10-31) (United States)
Running time	117 minutes[1]
Country	United States
Language	English
Budget	$8.5 million
Box office	$50.3 million

Nightcrawler is a 2014 American neo-noir thriller film written and directed by Dan Gilroy in his directorial debut. It stars Jake Gyllenhaal as an unhinged stringer who seeks out violent and morbid events late at night in Los Angeles so he can film them and sell the exclusive footage to a local television news station. The supporting cast includes Rene Russo, Riz Ahmed, and Bill Paxton.

Gilroy originally wanted to make a film about the life of American photographer Weegee, but switched focus after discovering the unique narrative possibilities surrounding the stringer profession. He wrote the protagonist as an antihero, based on the ideas of unemployment and capitalism; a common theme in the film is the symbiotic relationship between unethical journalism and consumer demand. Gyllenhaal served as a producer on the film and played a pivotal role in its creation, getting involved in choosing members of the crew and watching other actors' audition tapes. Filming was a challenging process, taking place across 80 locations over the course of four weeks.

Open Road Films utilized viral marketing to promote Nightcrawler, including a fictional video résumé on Craigslist and fake social media profiles for the protagonist. The film premiered at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival on September 15 and was released theatrically on October 31, going on to gross $50.3 million against a budget of $8.5 million^[2] and gaining a cult following in the process.^[3] It was met with widespread praise, especially Gilroy's screenplay and the performances of Gyllenhaal and Russo. Several critics listed Nightcrawler as one of the best films of 2014 and it received various accolades, including a Best Original Screenplay nomination at the 87th Academy Awards.