George Clooney and Adam Sandler Hit the Road in Jay Kelly, Noah Baumbach’s New Film

Netflix has unveiled new details, images, and a teaser trailer for Jay Kelly, the latest feature from Academy Award nominee Noah Baumbach.

The film pairs George Clooney and Adam Sandler on screen for the first time and will premiere at the 2025 Venice Film Festival before opening in select U.S. theaters on November 14, 2025 and streaming on Netflix December 5, 2025

Watch the Teaser Trailer

A story of fame, regrets, and second chances

Written by Baumbach with Emily Mortimer, Jay Kelly follows a legendary movie star (Clooney) confronting the cost of a decades-long career. Jay embarks on a European road trip with his devoted manager Ron (Sandler) that forces him to reckon with estranged family ties, an aging public image, and the artistic legacy he hopes to leave behind.

The film promises Baumbach’s signature blend of sharp humor and emotional honesty, capturing the uneasy balance between stardom and private life.

Baumbach, Clooney, and Sandler find new creative ground

Baumbach has described Jay Kelly as a personal reset after the challenging production of White Noise, rediscovering “the love of making movies” through collaboration with Mortimer.

Clooney signed on within 24 hours of reading the script, drawn to a role that asks for rare vulnerability: “At my age, finding parts like this isn’t common,” he told Vanity Fair. “If you can’t make peace with aging, maybe it’s time to step away.”

For Sandler, the project revisits the dramatic range he showed in The Meyerowitz Stories while keeping his warmth intact. He and Clooney bonded during filming in Italy and England, giving the film an easy, lived-in dynamic.

A road movie with Hollywood layers

Part European travelogue, part show-business reckoning, the film follows Jay to an Italian film festival tribute that triggers memories of mentors, lost opportunities, and complicated family relationships. Cameos and one-scene appearances, including Billy Crudup as an old acting-school friend, fill out a portrait of a man re-evaluating a life in the spotlight.

Cinematographer Linus Sandgren (La La Land) blends present-day storytelling with memory sequences, while production designer Mark Tildesley and costume designer Jacqueline Durran craft a look that moves between glamorous past and contemplative present.

A closer look at its appeal

With two of Hollywood’s most recognizable stars and a filmmaker known for mixing wit with introspection, Jay Kelly is positioned as one of Netflix’s most anticipated prestige titles this fall. It’s both a road movie and a meditation on legacy, fame, and what remains when the spotlight fades.

Looking ahead

Jay Kelly Netflix will premiere at the Venice Film Festival, open in select theaters on November 14, and hit Netflix December 5, 2025. With George Clooney, Adam Sandler, and Noah Baumbach joining forces, expect a film that is funny, wistful, and deeply aware of what it means to stay relevant and human in Hollywood.

The Poster

Key details

• Title: Jay Kelly
• Director: Noah Baumbach
• Writers: Noah Baumbach, Emily Mortimer
• Producers: David Heyman, Amy Pascal, Noah Baumbach
• Cast: George Clooney, Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, Billy Crudup, Riley Keough, Grace Edwards, Stacy Keach, Jim Broadbent, Patrick Wilson, Eve Hewson, Greta Gerwig, Alba Rohrwacher, Josh Hamilton, Lenny Henry, Emily Mortimer, Nicôle Lecky, Thaddea Graham, Isla Fisher, Louis Partridge, Charlie Rowe
• Original Score: Nicholas Britell
• Cinematography: Linus Sandgren
• Editors: Valerio Bonelli, Rachel Durance
• Sound: Christopher Scarabosio
• Production Design: Mark Tildesley
• Costume Design: Jacqueline Durran
• Casting: Douglas Aibel, Nina Gold
• World Premiere: Venice Film Festival 2025
• Select U.S. Theaters: November 14, 2025
• Netflix Release: December 5, 2025