Following A Star is Born and Maestro, Bradley Cooper has lined up his third directorial effort.
The project, a Searchlight Pictures film titled Is This Thing On?, features an impressive cast including Will Arnett, Laura Dern, Cooper himself, Andra Day, Ciarán Hinds, Amy Sedaris, NFL quarterback Peyton Manning, and Sean Hayes. The film officially wrapped production on Wednesday.
Hearing this brought to mind something I’d come across just last week—Searchlight is reportedly “really liking what they’ve seen so far,” and they’re planning a fall 2025 release. The movie is expected to make the rounds at fall festivals, including TIFF and Telluride.
Plot details have been closely guarded, but a production listing that circulated back in December gave us our first glimpse into the story:
After many years together, Alex and Tess have reached an amicable end to their marriage, thus beginning the awkward stage of figuring out how to live separately while raising two boys and maintaining their friendships. Alex discovers a new hobby which allows him to reflect on his identity and the dynamics of his relationship with Tess.
This could signal a shift in tone for Cooper, who may be aiming for something “a little lighter” following the emotional weight of Maestro. That move could pay off—Arnett, a longtime friend of Cooper, co-wrote the screenplay with him and Mark Chappell.
We’ll definitely be keeping an eye on this one.
“Hope,” Na’s first film in ten years — his last one being the exemplary “The Wailing” —is a gloriously messy, blood-soaked sci-fi epic that may become a cult classic despite—or because of—its polarizing nature.