You don’t often see George Clooney and Adam Sandler share the screen, let alone in tuxedos under Noah Baumbach’s steady hand. But Jay Kelly—Baumbach’s new Netflix-backed drama—just dropped its full trailer and poster, and it’s the kind of meta-Hollywood self-examination that feels both indulgent and necessary. After world premieres at the 2025 Venice Film Festival and Telluride Film Festival, the film heads next to the New York Film Festival this weekend before landing in U.S. theaters November 14, 2025 and streaming on Netflix starting December 5.
The Story Behind Jay Kelly
The film follows Clooney as Jay Kelly, a world-famous actor caught in the gilded cage of his own career. Alongside him is Ron, his loyal manager played with surprising restraint by Adam Sandler. The two embark on a whirlwind tour of European festivals, a journey that quickly pivots from glitz to existential reflection. Old relationships resurface, legacy questions burn hotter than spotlights, and the trailer teases lines like: “When I look at you, I see my whole life.”
It’s Baumbach doing what he does best—peeling away the glossy veneer of success to expose bruised humanity underneath. His longtime collaborator Emily Mortimer co-wrote the script, and the ensemble cast reads like a festival red carpet roll call: Laura Dern, Billy Crudup, Riley Keough, Stacy Keach, Jim Broadbent, Patrick Wilson, Greta Gerwig, Eve Hewson, Alba Rohrwacher, Josh Hamilton, Lenny Henry, and Mortimer herself.
A Baumbach Production Through and Through
Baumbach reunites with cinematographer Linus Sandgren (La La Land) whose visual palette brings velvet shadows and nostalgic glow to the trailer. Nicholas Britell, fresh off his work on Succession, provides a score that feels both intimate and grand. Behind the camera, producers include David Heyman, Amy Pascal, and Baumbach himself—an alignment of power players that signals Netflix isn’t just tossing this one into the algorithm void.
As for the tone? Gorgeous. Grating. Gorgeous again. Classic Baumbach.
Poster & Trailer Drop
The official poster (above) frames Clooney and Sandler in tuxedos, seated side by side at what seems like a festival screening. They look less like actor and manager, more like two men wrestling with what it means to sit still while the world claps. The trailer doubles down on this duality—glamour shot through with loneliness.
5 Key Things About Jay Kelly
Clooney & Sandler pairing — A surprising duo, but their chemistry anchors the film.
Festival circuit pedigree — Venice, Telluride, and NYFF screenings before its release.
Meta-Hollywood premise — A film about a movie star confronting his life, directed by a filmmaker obsessed with identity and legacy.
Heavy-hitter crew — Linus Sandgren on visuals, Nicholas Britell on music.
Release strategy — Limited theatrical run November 14 before Netflix drops it worldwide December 5.
Final Thoughts
Does Jay Kelly reinvent the wheel? Maybe not. But Baumbach doesn’t need to. What he offers instead is an unexpectedly tender mirror held up to fame’s most reliable faces. Clooney’s quiet gravitas and Sandler’s grounded warmth may just elevate this into one of 2025’s more human entries in the awards-season scrum.
So: trailer, poster, Clooney, Sandler, Baumbach. The question is—will you be streaming Jay Kelly on December 5, or heading to theaters first to catch it on the big screen?
Watch it here via Netflix’s YouTube.
