Justin Timberlake’s wish to carry on acting after his high profile return to music is realised in Runner Runner, a thriller that sees him play a student burned by online gambling. But instead of giving up, he travels to Costa Rica to confront the man who he believes swindled him: Ben Affleck.

Ben Affleck and Justin TimberlakeBen Affleck and Justin Timberlake relax on a nice boat

Princeton grad student Richie (Timberlake) is then faced with a difficult decision: help the FBI to bring down Block (Affleck) – a man who has promised him infinite wealth – or try and escape both. “He loses all his money and finds out that there's an algorithm that cheats you', explained Timberlake in an interview.

Watch Justin Timberlake talk Runner Runner

“It's a fast paced world, [Ivan] Block sees someone he finally relates to. As the movie progresses, it becomes this sort of mentor-apprentice role. The deeper he gets into the story, the darker and darker it gets.' He also supplied his own thoughts on the human nature behind the story. 'It's the new American Dream', he says. 'The more access we have to things the faster we want them.”

Ben AffleckJustin Timberlake
Affleck and Timberlake strike up an unlikely friendship in Runner Runner

The film also stars Gemma Arteton, who you’ll remember was covered in oil in Quantum of Solace. She plays Rebecca Shafran in the crime thriller. And while the film’s MacGuffin is poker, the actual plot doesn’t focus on the form of gambling so much.

Justin Timberlake and Gemma ArtetonHis 'friendship' with Gemma Arteton's character was far less unlikely

“The movie is more about the business of online more than any game play, and really it's a ride and a battle over the lucre more than a nuts and bolts look at the industry,” said screenwriters David Levien and Brian Koppelman to Pokernews.com.

Justin Timeberlake and Ben AffleckJustin Timeberlake and Ben Affleck have plenty of work to do

While Timberlake’s renaissance within the music scene has been emphatic, Affleck’s has been truly miraculous. A laughing stock amongst Hollywood for over a decade, the Good Will Hunting actor clawed his way back with Argo, for which he won the Academy Award for Best Picture. The recent announcement that he would play Batman in Man of Steel 2, though, didn’t enamour some fans.

Runner Runner is set to be released in the UK on September 27th 2013, and on October 14th in the U.S.

Watch the Runner Runner trailer