Trailer for JIMMY Has KJ Apa Playing James Stewart in a WWII Drama About War, Hollywood, and IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE
A new trailer has arrived for Jimmy, an upcoming WWII-era biopic that puts the spotlight on legendary Hollywood actor James Stewart and the brutal chapter of his life that unfolded long before he became George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life.
The film stars KJ Apa as Stewart during his years serving as a combat pilot in World War II, and the trailer leans heavily into the emotional toll of war and the pressure Stewart faced returning to Hollywood afterward.
It’s an interesting angle for a biopic because instead of simply celebrating the actor’s career, the movie seems more focused on the personal damage he carried home with him.
The movie has a different vibe compared to the usual glossy Hollywood biopic formula. There’s an earnestness to it, but also something a little strange in the presentation that makes the whole thing feel unexpectedly surreal at times.
The movie follows Stewart after his Oscar win for The Philadelphia Story as he leaves Hollywood behind to enlist in the U.S. Army Air Corps at the start of WWII. During the war, Stewart flew 20 combat missions over Europe and eventually rose to the rank of colonel.
According to the official synopsis, he returned home “broken and disheartened” before eventually finding renewed purpose through the role of George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life.
The film’s pitch reads: “Based on the untold true story...” This new film brings to the big screen the most transformative years of iconic actor Jimmy Stewart's life—from winning the Academy Award for Best Actor in The Philadelphia Story to enlisting & becoming a combat pilot & commander in the U.S. Army Air Corps at the beginning of World War II.
Apa spoke about the role, saying: “Jimmy Stewart was an American Hero. He was among a certain breed of men who understood the true meaning of sacrifice by fighting for our freedom.”
That theme runs throughout the trailer as the story builds toward Stewart accepting the role in It’s a Wonderful Life after returning from war.
The supporting cast includes Max Casella as filmmaker Frank Capra, Jason Alexander as MGM boss Louis B. Mayer, along with Kara Killmer, Julian Works, Sarah Drew, Rob Riggle, and Daniel Fee.
The movie is directed by filmmaker Aaron Burns, whose previous directing credits include Legacy Peak and Birthright Outlaw. The screenplay was written by Justin Strawhand, who also worked on War Against the Weak.
Whether Jimmy ends up being a compelling portrait of one of Hollywood’s most beloved stars or an oddly assembled experiment remains to be seen, but this looks like an interesting movie. For movie fans curious about the darker chapter of Stewart’s life before starring in It’s a Wonderful Life, this one may be worth keeping an eye on.
Jimmy opens in select U.S. theaters on November 6th, 2026.