Burns & Co. Debuts Trailer for Jimmy With KJ Apa as James Stewart

The trailer frames Stewart’s World War II service as the emotional engine behind his later role in It’s a Wonderful Life, positioning the film for a theatrical awards-season push.

Overview

Burns & Co. released the full official trailer on May 20, 2026, confirming KJ Apa as James “Jimmy” Stewart and naming a supporting cast that includes Neal McDonough, Max Casella, Jason Alexander, Kara Killmer, Sarah Drew, Rob Riggle, Julian Works, and Daniel Fee.
The film is presented as a biopic of Stewart’s wartime years as a U.S. Army Air Corps pilot and the psychological toll those missions took on him before he returned to star in It’s a Wonderful Life.
Justin Strawhand is credited as the screenwriter and Aaron Burns as the director, with the studio scheduling an exclusive theatrical release for November 6, 2026.
Cast interviews and trailer footage stress themes of sacrifice and trauma, with Neal McDonough describing the story as a portrait of duty and KJ Apa calling Stewart an American hero who accepted great personal cost.
The project ties into Stewart’s real-life service record and public legacy and could shape how audiences view his postwar work; the theatrical-only release signals Burns & Co.’s aim to position the film in the fall awards conversation and test audience appetite for a darker, personal take on a familiar figure.