Will Arnett reveals what inspired his new movie ‘Is This Thing On?’

“Is This Thing On?” star Will Arnett shares the inspiration behind the Searchlight Pictures comedy.

“A mutual friend said, ‘Hey, do you know John Bishop?’ and he told the story of a guy who is going through a divorce and stumbles upon stand-up,” Arnett said in a new featurette. The British comedian didn’t want to pay the cover charge at a bar, so he signed up to perform stand-up since it allowed him to enter for free.

In “Is This Thing On?,” Arnett plays Alex Novak. “He’s at a crossroads in his marriage. His marriage is falling apart. His marriage to Tess, played by my friend Laura Dern,” Arnett explains.

Laura Dern, who portrays Tess Novak, opens up about their characters, “They’re both stuck in lives they didn’t bargain for. And, she knows something’s got to change.”

Director Bradley Cooper also details what audiences can expect from the film, “This movie is about people trying to come to terms with who they are in life, what their goals are, their curiosities, their relationships in the new communities they build.”

Hear more of what they had to say in the video player above.

Fans can watch “Is This Thing On?” in theaters now!

The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of the Searchlight Pictures and this station.