Maestro Trailer: Bradley Cooper's A Star Is Born Follow Up Is The Story Of Leonard Bernstein

It's been almost five years since Bradley Cooper made waves with his directorial debut, the 2018 remake of "A Star is Born," a film he also starred in as the troubled singer/songwriter Jackson Maine. Not too many actors-turned-directors immediately carve a path to the Oscars as triumphantly as Cooper did that year, alongside co-star Lady Gaga, and bolstered by some of the catchiest songs that some of us still have on a regular rotation on Spotify (guilty as charged). Fans have been waiting ever since to see what Cooper's next directorial feature film might be — somehow squeezed into his increasingly busy schedule as an actor, of course.

That project turned out to be a biographical drama centered on musical legend Leonard Bernstein, titled "Maestro," and it sure looks like it'll be worth the wait. After audiences had their minds blown earlier this year by our first look at the actor's seamless transformation into the role, Netflix has now released a new trailer for the film that's at least partially filmed in black and white. Starring Cooper as the world-famous composer and Carey Mulligan as his wife Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein, the flick is set for a buzzy year-end release (including a limited theatrical run, a rarity for the streamer). In short, "Maestro" has "prestige awards film" written all over it. But don't just take my word for it. Check out the trailer below.

The late, great Leonard Bernstein's legacy looks like it remains in very safe hands. Originally reported to have Steven Spielberg attached to the production as director (he's still on board as a producer, alongside Martin Scorsese), "Maestro" has since found its way into the hands of incredibly talented actor and director Bradley Cooper. As /Film has previously written, Spielberg first came to Cooper to gauge his interest in starring in the drama ... only to have Cooper come right back and offer to write and direct the film as well. The official screenplay credits now go to Cooper and "Spotlight," "The Post," and "First Man" screenwriter Josh Singer. The film stars Cooper, Carey Mulligan, Sarah Silverman as Bernstein's sister Shirley, Maya Hawke as his daughter Jamie, and Matt Bomer as one of his lovers.

As teased in the trailer, "Maestro" is set to cover several decades of Bernstein's complicated and widely-celebrated life, though mainly from the perspective of his longtime relationship with Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein. As mentioned earlier, Netflix is gearing up for a limited theatrical release of the film sometime on November 22, almost certainly to meet the criteria for an extensive (and expensive) awards run to the Oscars, before debuting on Netflix on December 20, 2023. You can check out the synopsis below.

Maestro is a towering and fearless love story chronicling the lifelong relationship between Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre Cohn Bernstein. A love letter to life and art, Maestro at its core is an emotionally epic portrayal of family and love.