George Clooney and Adam Sandler lead Netflix’s upcoming drama Jay Kelly, the latest film from director Noah Baumbach. Written by Baumbach and Emily Mortimer, the story follows the titular character (Clooney) as a movie star looking back on his life on a trip spurred on by a midlife crisis. Joined by his friend and manager (Sandler) and publicist (Laura Dern), Jay Kelly will be forced to look upon his life and the legacy he will leave behind.
Netflix has released a new trailer for Jay Kelly, which puts the spotlight on Clooney and Sandler’s characters’ friendship. The trailer also highlights the movie’s pedigree, noting that it has been part of the official selection at the Venice Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, New York Film Festival, and BFI London Film Festival. In addition to Clooney, Sandler, and Dern, the footage also highlights the rest of the film’s cast, which includes Patrick Wilson, Greta Gerwig, Jim Broadbent, Riley Keough, Billy Crudup, and Grace Edwards, among others. Watch the trailer below.
‘Jay Kelly’ Might Be the Film That Gets Adam Sandler His Oscar Nomination
Jay Kelly will receive a limited release on November 14, 2025, before streaming on Netflix on December 5, 2025. The film marks Noah Baumbach’s fourth major collaboration with Netflix, following The Meyerowitz Stories, Marriage Story, and White Noise. Marriage Story went on to be nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and won a Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Laura Dern, who is working again with Baumbach on Jay Kelly.
Baumbach’s latest film has been positioned early as an Oscar frontrunner, given the director and George Clooney’s past award wins and nominations. However, the response to Jay Kelly has been slightly more muted since its debut at the Venice Film Festival, with reviews currently giving it a respectable 79% on Rotten Tomatoes. Most of the reviews have praised Adam Sandler, with many hoping it will secure him his first Oscar nomination, as the actor was previously snubbed by the Academy for his incredible performances in Punch-Drunk Love and Uncut Gems.
Netflix has been chasing an Academy Award for Best Picture for years, but Jay Kelly now faces some stiff competition this award season. The most prominent contenders thus far include Warner Bros. titles One Battle After Another and Sinners, Focus Features’ Hamnet, A24’s Marty Supreme, and big blockbusters like Avatar: Fire and Ash and Wicked for Good, both of which are sequels to Best Picture nominees. Netflix’s best chance at an Oscar this year seems to be Best Animated Feature film, as KPop Demon Hunters is already the frontrunner. Yet, awards season is not the end-all be-all for the movie, and Jay Kelly could potentially work as a moving feel-good film that plays well with audiences on Netflix.
Release Date
November 14, 2025
Runtime
132 minutes
Director
Noah Baumbach
Writers
Emily Mortimer, Noah Baumbach
Producers
David Heyman, Noah Baumbach, Amy Pascal
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