Netflix
George Clooney and Adam Sandler Star in Noah Baumbach’s Jay Kelly : New Trailer Reveals a Journey of Regret and Redemption
Netflix has released the official trailer for Jay Kelly, the latest drama from writer-director Noah Baumbach (Marriage Story, White Noise). Starring George Clooney as a movie icon confronting a lifetime of regrets, the film promises a bittersweet cross-continental road trip of self-discovery filled with humor, heartbreak, and yes—plenty of cheesecake.
“All my memories are movies,” George Clooney’s character Jay Kelly muses in the trailer. “So it’s time to make some new ones.” That premise sends the 64-year-old screen legend on an impulsive European vacation where he must face the personal relationships he neglected while basking in fame.
Clooney, Sandler and Dern Lead an Ensemble Cast
Along for the ride is Jay’s inner circle: Laura Dern as Liz, his steadfast publicist, and Adam Sandler as Ron, his loyal yet long-suffering manager. Both characters embody the sacrifices made by those who orbit a superstar’s life. “It’s also about his relationships with people who’ve devoted a good portion of their adult lives to his success,” Baumbach explains. “Everyone in the movie, to some degree or another, is tasked with the question: ‘How do we want to spend our lives?’”
George Clooney with writer-director Noah Baumbach ‘Jay Kelly’
Adam Sandler’s Ron even echoes that theme in the trailer: “You’re Jay Kelly, but I’m Jay Kelly too.” Adam Sandler told Netflix he drew from his own experiences with managers, agents, and publicists who’ve put aside their own lives to support his career.
The supporting cast also features Billy Crudup, Patrick Wilson, and Riley Keough, making Jay Kelly one of Baumbach’s most star-studded projects yet.
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Festival Buzz and Clooney’s Reflection
The film premiered at the New York Film Festival, where Clooney admitted the script made him “thrilled that in real life I hadn’t lived a life of regret.” Fame came later for Clooney—he was 33 when ER made him a household name, giving him time to figure out life before stardom. That contrast between actor and character lends Jay Kelly its emotional heft.
Release Dates and What to Expect
Jay Kelly opens in select theaters on November 14, 2025 and begins streaming globally on Netflix December 5, 2025. With Baumbach’s signature blend of humor and heartbreak, Clooney’s introspective performance, and Sandler’s selfless turn, the film is shaping up to be one of the year’s most talked-about releases.
