Released Thursday by Searchlight Pictures, the trailer for del Toro’s first film since the Oscar-winning Shape of Water teases a neo-noir psychological thriller that features Cooper starring as down on his luck but charismatic “carny” Stanton Carlisle. While at a traveling carnival, Carlisle meets and endears himself to Toni Collette’s clairvoyant Zeena, as well as her mentalist husband Pete, played by David Strathairn.

Eventually, with the aid of mysterious psychiatrist  Dr. Lilith Ritter (Blanchett), the duo begin to plot a grift with some newly acquired knowledge, setting their target on dangerous and skeptical tycoon Ezra Grindle, played by Richard Jenkins.

In the minute and a half trailer, Cooper’s Carlisle is seen admitting under the pressure of a lie-detector test that he is a medium and someone who can read minds “under the right circumstances.” But when asked if Carlisle is in contact with the beyond, Jenkins’ character responds as Cooper’s character is seen fake fainting in front of a crowd.

“We’ve had our fair share of snake charmers in the past. We deal with them,” Grindle ominously promises.

Collette, Rooney Mara, Willem Dafoe, and Clifton Collins Jr. also make appearances in the trailer that features a colorful collage of fire, money, violence, blood and deception.

Based on William Lindsay Gresham’s 1946 novel of the same name, with a screenplay co-written by Kim Morgan and del Toro, Cooper and J. Miles Dale serving as producers.

Nightmare Alley opens in theaters on December 17.