The fall film festival season is about to begin, and ahead of its screening at the New York Film Festival, Searchlight Pictures has unveiled the first trailer for “A Star Is Born” and “Maestro” filmmaker Bradley Cooper’s next directorial effort, “Is This Thing On?”
The film stars Will Arnett as a man who decides to turn his impending divorce into a stand-up routine despite never having professionally tried comedy before. Arnett co-wrote the screenplay with Cooper and Mark Chappell.
While the movie marks a departure for Cooper as a director in that he’s not also the film’s lead actor, he does have a supporting role in the movie, which was shot in and around New York City.
Laura Dern co-stars as Arnett’s wife while the supporting cast includes Andra Day, Amy Sedaris, Sean Hayes, Christine Ebersole, Ciaran Hinds and Scott Icenogle.
Cooper also reunites with his “A Star Is Born” and “Maestro” cinematographer Matthew Libatique on the film for an intimate, handheld approach. Producers on the film are Cooper, Arnett, Weston Middleton and Kris Thykier.
The movie comes with considerable anticipation as Cooper’s last two efforts were awards season juggernauts. “A Star Is Born” scored eight Oscar nominations and won for Best Original Song, while his 2023 Leonard Bernstein biopic “Maestro” picked up seven Oscar nods.
Watch the trailer above. “Is This Thing On?” opens in select theaters on Dec. 19.
