Bradley Cooper's 'Is This Thing On?' Heads to Theaters After NYFF Closing Night

TalkTeaV
Sep 23
2 min read

Will Arnett as Alex Novak and Laura Dern as Tess Novak in IS THIS THING ON: Image Courtesy of Jason McDonald/Searchlight Pictures

Will Arnett as Alex Novak and Laura Dern as Tess Novak in Is This Thing On?: Image Courtesy of Jason McDonald/Searchlight Pictures

A marriage in crisis takes center stage in Is This Thing On?, a new comic drama opening in theaters on December 19, 2025. Before its wide release, audiences can catch early screenings at the 63rd New York Film Festival, where the film will close out the event on October 13. Screenings run across the final weekend, including October 10, 11, and 13 at Lincoln Center.

Directed by Bradley Cooper and released by Searchlight Pictures, the film stars Will Arnett as Alex Novak, a man navigating middle age, divorce, and the confessional world of stand-up comedy in New York’s West Village. Laura Dern plays Tess Novak, his wife, who begins to reckon with the sacrifices she made for family. Together, their unraveling relationship becomes a portrait of love reshaped under pressure.

The cast brings together a mix of drama and comedy heavyweights. Alongside Arnett and Dern, the film features Andra Day, Amy Sedaris, Sean Hayes, Christine Ebersole, Ciarán Hinds, Scott Icenogle, and Cooper himself. The story is based on an idea developed by Arnett, Mark Chappell, and comedian John Bishop, whose own career famously began after stepping onstage at an open mic in Liverpool.

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Laura Dern and Will Arnett with director Bradley Cooper behind the scenes filming of in Is This Thing On: Image Courtesy of Jason McDonald/Searchlight Pictures

Laura Dern and Will Arnett with director Bradley Cooper behind the scenes filming of 'Is This Thing On?' Image Courtesy of Jason McDonald/Searchlight Pictures

Production stayed close to its themes, filming across New York City earlier this year. Cooper, who co-wrote the screenplay with Arnett and Chappell, also produced the project with Weston Middleton and Kris Thykier. For Cooper, premiering at the New York Film Festival carried special weight.

“We are honored and humbled to premiere our film at the New York Film Festival. Earlier this year, we had the wonderful opportunity to shoot this story all throughout the city, so it’s very exciting to debut it on the closing evening of the festival,” Cooper said in a statement shared by NYFF.

The New York Film Festival, now in its 63rd year, has long served as a launchpad for both international cinema and Oscar hopefuls. Closing night slots often highlight films blending strong performances with cultural resonance, and Is This Thing On? fits that bill by balancing comedy with emotional depth.

For audiences, it’s both a festival event and a preview of what’s to come when the film lands in theaters nationwide this winter.

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