While Bradley Cooper will still appear in his upcoming movie, Is This Thing On?, he will not play the lead. That honor instead goes to Will Arnett, who many might view as an unexpected choice to lead the cast of Cooper’s most recent directorial effort. This is because Arnett has mostly been known as a comedic actor for practically his whole career.

Arnett’s best movies include Blades of Glory, H๏τ Rod, and animated projects like The Lego Batman Movie. All of these films highlight Arnett’s comedic abilities. On the small screen, he consistently showcased his comedic chops by playing G.O.B. Bluth in the acclaimed show Arrested Development, and has also appeared in popular sitcoms like 30 Rock, The Office, and Parks and Recreation.

All these projects and many others prove that Arnett is one of the most accomplished comedic performers of this century, but he has also shown his serious side. Most notably, he voiced the тιтular character in the animated series BoJack Horseman, which tackled heavy themes such as depression, addiction, and trauma.

However, when it comes to live-action projects, Arnett hasn’t tackled many serious roles, which is why Is This Thing On? could be the start of a new era for his career.

Will Arnett’s Is This Thing On? Role Could Lead To More Dramatic Work

It’s not totally uncommon for comedic actors to earn acclaim for starring in serious projects. Throughout his career, Jim Carrey received immense praise for movies like The Truman Show and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. A more recent example is Adam Sandler, who was arguably robbed of a Best Actor nomination after starring in the acclaimed 2019 film Uncut Gems.

These examples prove that many comedic actors have the talent required to pull off more serious roles. More often than not, comedians just don’t get these kinds of opportunities because they are constantly typecast to play the same character over and over again. This is precisely why it is so exciting that Arnett is taking a notable career risk by playing the lead in Is This Thing On?.

Is This Thing On? is directed by Cooper, who has previously helmed films like A Star Is Born and Maestro. The story follows Arnett’s Alex Novak, who starts practicing stand-up comedy while getting a divorce. In the movie, Alex and his wife, who will be played by Laura Dern, navigate their separation while also trying to raise their two sons and maintain relationships with their friends.

The trailer for Is This Thing On? shows Arnett performing at an open mic night. It seems like his set is going to be a disaster at first, but the audience starts to respond positively when he talks about everything going wrong in his life, which is what the movie will explore. Based on the trailers, Is This Thing On? could end up being the best movie of Arnett’s career.

By tackling serious topics like divorce and getting older, Is This Thing On? will be completely different from any other movie Arnett has starred in. If his performance is as good as it looks, then he could have a career pivot and start doing more dramatic work going forward. He is always hilarious in comedies, but it would be great to see him get more experimental with future roles.

Could Will Arnett Even Get An Oscar Nomination For Is This Thing On?

Following the release of the trailer, there’s even buzz that Arnett might receive a Best Actor nomination for his performance. At this point, it’s difficult to predict what his chances are, since nobody has actually seen the film yet. However, reviews for Is This Thing On? will start rolling in after its world premiere at the New York Film Festival in October.

Is This Thing On? is scheduled to hit theaters on December 19, so it definitely has an awards-targeted release date. Additionally, it must be noted that Cooper’s previous two movies, A Star is Born and Maestro, were both nominated for Best Picture and several other major awards.

Cooper was nominated for Best Actor for his roles in both movies, and Lady Gaga received a Best Actress nomination for starring in the former. It wouldn’t be outlandish to predict that Arnett will also receive a Best Actor nomination for starring in Cooper’s newest movie. Academy voters will surely consider him, but several other upcoming movies will ensure he has a lot of compeтιтion.

Variety predicts that the Best Actor nominees will consist of big names like Jesse Plemons for his role in Bugonia, Oscar Isaac for Frankenstein, and Timothée Chalamet for Marty Supreme. Additionally, the outlet also has Dwayne Johnson, who will star in the upcoming sports drama The Smashing Machine, ranked highly. To compare, Arnett is ranked 17th on the Best Actor predictions.

Right now, it seems like several other notable names will beat out Arnett. However, there is still a chance that he will defy the odds, especially if his performance in Is This Thing On? is even better than people are expecting. Regardless of whether he gets a Best Actor nomination, it’s very exciting that Is Thing Thing On? may start a brand-new era for Arnett’s career.