Will Arnett Pursues Stand-Up Comedy in Trailer for Bradley Cooper’s ‘Is This Thing On?’

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Aug 26

Written By Jonathan P. Moustakas

Will Arnett in 'Is This Thing On?' **COURTESY OF SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES**

Bradley Cooper directs Will Arnett and Laura Dern in a heartfelt, funny drama about divorce, reinvention, and the courage to step on stage.

Will Arnett attempts to reinvent himself in the teaser trailer for writer-director Bradley Cooper’s feature Is This Thing On?

Searchlight Pictures releases the film in theaters Dec. 19 following its premiere at the New York Film Festival on Oct. 10. The movie stars Arnett, Laura Dern, Cooper, Andra Day, Sean Hayes, Amy Sedaris and Ciarán Hinds.

Is This Thing On? centers on Alex (Arnett) and Tess (Dern), who attempt to navigate their divorce as Alex changes his career path to pursue a life as a confessional stand-up comedian in New York City. The life of British comedian John Bishop inspired the movie’s story.

Will Arnett and Laura Dern in 'Is This Thing On?' **COURTESY OF SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES**

“I think I’m getting a divorce,” Arnett says from a stage in the trailer. “What tipped me off was that I’m living in an apartment on my own. And my wife and kids don’t live there.”

Cooper helmed the feature from a script he co-wrote with Arnett and Mark Chappell. Producers include Cooper, Arnett, Weston Middleton and Kris Thykier.

(L-R) Laura Dern, Will Arnett and Bradley Cooper on the Set of 'Is This Thing On?' **COURTESY OF SEARCHLIGHT PICTURES**

Is This Thing On? marks Cooper’s directorial follow-up to 2023’s Maestro, which he also co-wrote and starred in as conductor and composer Leonard Bernstein. The Netflix feature’s seven Oscar nominations included nods for Cooper’s acting and screenplay, in addition to best picture.

Cooper, who had a cameo in this summer’s Superman for his Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn, made his directorial debut with 2018’s A Star Is Born.

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Arnett’s recent credits include Next Goal Wins and a voice role in the series Twisted Metal. Dern can be seen alongside George Clooney and Adam Sandler in director Noah Baumbach’s forthcoming Netflix film Jay Kelly.

“This movie is not a midlife crisis — it’s a midlife catharsis,” Cooper told Vanity Fair about Is This Thing On?“Sometimes you realize you’re coasting and you’ve lost your rudder and your North Star in life, and that takes a toll on whoever is in your orbit.”