David O Russell’s highly-anticipated film The Fighter, starring Mark Wahlberg and Christian Bale, now has a confirmed released from Paramount Pictures. The film will hit theaters on December 10, 2011. Right now there is one other fairly big film opening that day: The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Voyage Of The Dawn Treader. [The Playlist]

While the new release date allows for people uninterested in the Narnia series to have an alternative option, it more directly allows The Fighter two weeks more lead time in the big, end-of-the-year Oscar rush.

The film fictionalizes the career of famous lightweight boxer Mickey Ward (Wahlberg), and his trainer brother Dickie (Bale). Amy Adams also stars as Wahlberg’s love interest.

Russell’s a director who specializes in making films about subjects they aren’t really about. Case in point, Flirting With Disaster isn’t really about marriage and Three Kings isn’t really about war. Really, his films are a little bit about everything, for better or worse. One would imagine you’re not going to have to be a boxing enthusiast to respond to The Fighter.

What do you think? Are you looking forward to it?