No one’s ever accused recording artist/actress Jennifer Lopez of being a lightweight. Throughout her career, she’s blazed a trail on her own terms and entertained audiences far and wide with a unique brand of showmanship and excitement.

It’s those very facts that allow us to say that after watching the trailer for her upcoming crime-drama HUSTLERS, we think we'll soon see J.Lo in her darkest role yet. Judge for yourself, as you watch the first trailer that STX Entertainment has provided for the film.

The center of the HUSTLERS’ story, which is based off real events chronicled in a New Yorker article entitled “The Hustlers at Scores”, sees Lopez’s character, Ramona, shepherding young protégé Destiny (Constance Wu) through the world of exotic dancing.

One thing leads to another, and eventually, a plot is hatched to rob the wealthy male clientele of their supposedly ill-gotten riches, as a bit of revenge for the financial crisis Wall Street bankers had a hand in. And to pull off a scheme such as this, they’ll need an all-star team of accomplices, which includes the likes of “Riverdale’s” Lili Reinhart, “Scream’s” Keke Palmer, and recording artists Lizzo and Cardi B.

While there’s a good amount of humor and excess played in the trailer of HUSTLERS, Jennifer Lopez and the rest of the cast show off some pretty dark motivations. Their scheme is certainly something worthy of Robin Hood, but their attitude toward their actions is more spiteful than generous.

Lopez’s Ramona in particular isn’t shy to explain away her motivations, under the cover of guys just being guys, and it’s a refreshing change of pace to see her playing to some darker motivations than some of her peers. Knowing how some of the crime dramas similar to HUSTLERS wind up playing out, there’s a feeling that this attitude might alienate Ramona from her co-conspirators sooner than later.

Perhaps the best thing about the HUSTLERS trailer, besides Jennifer Lopez becoming a dark godmother of crime, is the fact that writer/director Lorene Scafaria, best known for films like NICK AND NORA’S INFINITE PLAYLIST and SEEKING A FRIEND FOR THE END OF THE WORLD, is the creative force behind the film’s genesis. With her unique eye for comedic timing and a career that’s spanned various genres of storytelling, Scafaria is just one more reason HUSTLERS is likely to separate itself from the competition.

Put Jennifer Lopez at the head of a fantastic cast, with an extremely talented writer/director at the wheel, and you’ve got an irresistible story about how sometimes evil can be as beautiful as it is deadly.

And that’s exactly what HUSTLERS looks to serve the world when it opens in theatres on September 13. So, keep your eyes open, and your wallets secured, as this one approaches AMC in the near future.