‘Brothers’ Trailer: Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson’s Family Secret Unveiled

The real-life best friends investigate whether they might actually be related, in a show that survived a rocky path to the screen.

Apple TV has released the first trailer for Brothers, the new comedy starring and executive produced by Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson. The two play fictionalized versions of themselves, and their decades-long friendship gets thrown into chaos when they stumble onto a family secret: they might actually be brothers.

The setup begins when Woody’s daughter’s engagement falls apart. He packs up his family for an extended stay at Matthew’s Texas ranch, hoping for a healing getaway. Instead, things spiral fast.

Matthew’s mother, Ma Mac, played by Holland Taylor, accidentally lets slip a long-buried secret suggesting the two men might share a father. While Woody tears the ranch apart chasing the truth, Matthew is juggling a separate identity crisis of his own: a potential run for Governor of Texas.

A Real-Life Theory The Two Have Floated For Years

The premise isn’t purely invented. McConaughey and Harrelson have long joked about the possibility they’re actually related.

Harrelson told Esquire in 2023:

“I learned from Ma Mac, Matthew’s mother, that she did have a relationship with my father for a relatively short period of time that coincided with the time that his father and mother were on a sabbatical, and with the time of Matthew’s, let’s say, origination. We haven’t done a test, but there are too many times that I think to myself, My God, the similarities! The things he does, the things he says—just the way he is. I’ve felt that for years.“

The two have shared a screen once before, in the first season of True Detective, though Brothers marks their first time playing versions of themselves together.

The Show Almost Didn’t Get Make

Brothers had a rockier road to production than most Apple Originals. The series was suspended in June 2025 after disagreements over its creative direction led co-creator David West Read to leave the project entirely.

Lee Eisenberg, an Emmy nominee and Peabody winner who wrote and produced on The Office through seasons two through six, stepped in to take over as showrunner.

Production authority shifted again in August 2025, when Paramount Television Studios absorbed the show following Skydance Media’s merger with Paramount Global.

The series finally moved forward under that new structure.

Watch The Trailer Below:

The Rest Of The Cast, And When To Watch

Natalie Martinez plays Valentina, Brittany Ishibashi plays Joy, Nolan Almeida plays Wyatt, Ella Grace Helton plays Clara, Noah Carganilla plays River, Highdee Kuan plays Olive, and Oona Yaffe plays Kai, rounding out the ensemble around McConaughey and Harrelson.

Trent O’Donnell directs multiple episodes, including the pilot. Eisenberg, McConaughey, and Harrelson executive produce alongside Natalie Sandy, David West Read, Trish Hofmann, Bill Bost, Jason Winer, David Finkel, Brett Baer, and Jeremy Plager. Paramount Television Studios produces for Apple TV.

Exclusive First Look Images:

Brothers arrives as Apple TV continues to lean into comedy, following a strong run of comedy nominations at this year’s Emmys and the continued success of Ted Lasso.

The eight-episode season premieres globally September 23 with its first two episodes, followed by one new episode every Wednesday through the November 4 finale Apple TV.

Joanthan P. Moustakas

Jonathan P. Moustakas founded The Cinema Group in 2020 during the challenges of the pandemic, after losing the vital ability to find community in theaters and escape through the captivating magic of cinema. Feeling profoundly cut off from the vibrant film community he cherished, he sought to create a welcoming home for dedicated cinema fans while providing engaging, daily curated content that resonates with their passions. Years later, The Cinema Group has blossomed from a small collective of loyal fans into a thriving brand that reaches millions of audiences every month across a diverse array of platforms and mediums.

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