By Jessilyn Lancaster
The first look at JIMMY, starring KJ Apa as the legendary Jimmy Stewart, dropped this week, with photos and a teaser trailer exploring the untold story of America’s most beloved actor.
“Many young people may not know who Jimmy Stewart is today. But after seeing his story, they will never forget it. Jimmy Stewart was an American Hero,” Apa said in a release. “He was among a certain breed of men who understood the true meaning of sacrifice by fighting for our freedom. He was also among the greatest actors of all time starring in over 80 movies and winning one Academy Award® for Best Actor. His story is one of strength and purpose, love and honor, fame and war. His story is one that begs us to think of the greater good and to be willing to fight for it. His story portrays the absolute best of what one human has to offer his country. Jimmy Stewart’s story proves that life is not about our achievements in the spotlight, but about the choices we make and how those choices will shape the person we hope to be.”
Stewart enchanted audiences both on and off-screen with iconic roles like IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE’s George Bailey and the titular Jefferson Smith in MR. SMITH GOES TO WASHINGTON.
“A friend told me recently that seeing a movie I made more than 40 years ago is a holiday tradition in his family. That movie is It’s a Wonderful Life, and out of all the 80 films I’ve made, it’s my favorite. But it has an odd history,” Stewart himself wrote of the Christmas classic.
“When the war was over in 1945, I came back home to California from three years service in the Air Force. I had been away from the film business, my MGM contract had run out and, frankly, not knowing how to get started again, I was just a little bit scared,” he continued.
Stewart wrote for Guideposts:
Related: Jimmy Stewart Biopic in the Works
Then one day Frank Capra phoned me. The great director had also been away in service, making the Why We Fight documentary series for the military, and he admitted to being a little frightened too. But he had a movie in mind. We met in his office to talk about it.
He said the idea came from a Christmas story written by Philip Van Doren Stern. Stern couldn’t sell the story anywhere, but he finally had 200 twenty-four-page pamphlets printed up at his own expense, and he sent them to his friends as a greeting card.
“Now, listen,” Frank began hesitantly. He seemed a little embarrassed. “The story starts in heaven, and it’s sort of the Lord telling somebody to go down to earth because there’s a fellow who’s in trouble, and this heavenly being goes to a small town, and…”
Frank swallowed and took a deep breath.
“Well, what it boils down to is, this fella who thinks he’s a failure in life jumps off a bridge. The Lord sends down an angel named Clarence, who hasn’t earned his wings yet, and Clarence jumps into the water to save the guy. But the angel can’t swim, so the guy has to save him, and then…”
Frank stopped and wiped his brow. “This doesn’t tell very well, does it?”
I jumped up. “Frank, if you want to do a picture about a guy who jumps off a bridge and an angel named Clarence who hasn’t won his wings yet coming down to save him, well, I’m your man!”
Production of It’s a Wonderful Life started April 15, 1946, and from the beginning there was a certain something special about the film.
Max Casella will star as Capra in JIMMY, with Kara Killmer as Lady Julia; Neal McDonough as Stewart’s father, Alexander; Jason Alexander as Louis B. Mayer; Christopher McDonald as Lional Barrymore; Sarah Drew as Hedda Hopper; Rob Riggle as Colonel Terrill; Julian Works as Second Lieutenant Martinez; and Jen Lilley as Gloria Stewart.
Aaron Burns directs the script by Justin Strawhand.
“I am thrilled and grateful that Burns & Co. is making the film, JIMMY, about my father, Jimmy Stewart. It highlights the part of Dad’s life of which he was most proud: his military service,” said Kelly Stewart-Harcourt, one of Jimmy and Gloria Stewart’s daughters, and one of the movie’s executive producers. “I have long thought that it would be hard to find an actor who could bring my father to life without doing an extended Jimmy Stewart impersonation. But that actor has been found and his name is KJ Apa. I was privileged enough to visit the set in Ireland this last September, and there, I felt a magic. I know this will be conveyed in the film, and I can’t wait to see it.”
JIMMY comes to theaters November 6, 2026. To learn more, visit the movie’s website: https://jimmythemovie.com/. JIMMY is also on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok: @jimmystewartmovie; and on X: @jimmymovie2026.
Watch the trailer below.
Read Next: Jimmy Stewart Embraced Hometown Values of Faith, Family Throughout Career
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