New Bradley Cooper movie Is This Thing On? inspired by John Bishop - plot and release date
Bradley Cooper's latest film 'Is This Thing On?' draws inspiration from comedian John Bishop's life, featuring a star-studded cast including Will Arnett and Laura Dern.
Legendary Liverpool comedian is the inspiration behind for an exciting new movie directed by Bradley Cooper.
Is This Thing On? premiered at the BFI London Film Festival at The Royal Festival Hall on October 14, ahead of its upcoming release.
The star-studded cast includes Will Arnett, Laura Dern, Andra Day, Bradley Cooper, Christine Ebersole, Ciarán Hinds, Amy Sedaris, Sean Hayes and Scott Icenogle, with the film written by Cooper, Arnett and Mark Chappell from a story by Arnett, Chappell and John Bishop.
How Is This Thing On? was inspired by John Bishop
In 2000, John Bishop - then a sales rep - was nursing the wounds of a breakup with his wife Melanie on the streets of Manchester.
To avoid the £4 entry fee at the Frog and Bucket, he put his name down for the pub’s open mic night and boldly took the stage for a stand-up comedy set in front of seven people, during which he worked through what was going on with him and his wife.
He found it strangely therapeutic – until one evening his wife coincidentally turned up in the audience. After the gig, they ended up chatting and found themselves on the road to reconciliation.
Speaking about the Frog and Bucket in a previous interview, Bishop said: “If this place didn’t exist, to be honest with you, I wouldn’t be a comedian.”
Will Arnett heard about John’s journey and began working on a script with Mark Chappelle, with Bradley Cooper then coming up with the romantic comedy set in New York.
Is This Thing On? plot
Is This Thing On? follows a similar story to John Bishop’s, with Will Arnett playing Alex - a father who decides to try out comedy after splitting from his wife Tess (Laura Dern).
Searchlight’s bio of the film reads: “As their marriage quietly unravels, Alex faces middle age and an impending divorce, seeking new purpose in the New York comedy scene while Tess confronts the sacrifices she made for their family—forcing them to navigate co-parenting, identity, and whether love can take a new form.”
Is This Thing On? release date
Is This Thing On? is scheduled for release at UK cinemas on January 30, 2026.