The new trailer for The Disaster Artist charts the remarkable rise of Tommy Wiseau, from unknown Hollywood dreamer to a man known internationally for making The Room, a film regarded as the Citizen Kane of crappy movies.
James Franco, who directs and stars as the long-haired eccentric in the warmhearted satire, is front and center in the new trailer, which The Hollywood Reporter is exclusively debuting here.
The video teases comically bad auditions, painfully over-the-top performances in acting classes and — of course — the shambolic production of Wiseau’s magnum opus and its world premiere in 2003, with Franco serving up his subject’s trademark weird accent throughout.
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A24, the company behind last year’s best picture Oscar winner, Moonlight, is launching major awards campaigns for both The Disaster Artist, which received rave reviews at its SXSW premiere and later at Toronto, and Franco as lead actor. Franco — who already has a Gotham Award nod for his portrayal of Wiseau — has received one best actor Oscar nomination before, for 127 Hours in 2010. Back in 2013, when A24 was a newbie distributor, it launched a memorable campaign for Franco for his work in Spring Breakers.
Dave Franco, Seth Rogen, Alison Brie, Josh Hutcherson, Jacki Weaver, Ari Graynor and Zac Efron also star in the film, which was adapted by 500 Days of Summer writers Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber from Greg Sestero’s 2013 book detailing his friendship with Wiseau and the story behind The Room.
The Disaster Artist, which is getting a gala screening at the AFI Festival on Nov. 12, will receive a limited release on Dec. 1 before spreading nationwide Dec. 8.
Watch the new trailer above.
