Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg in a still from ‘A Real Pain’
Searchlight Pictures has released the first trailer for A Real Pain, the anticipated sophomore feature from actor-turned-filmmaker Jesse Eisenberg, set to hit theaters on October 18.
Written by and starring Eisenberg, the film also features Kieran Culkin. The duo portrays cousins David and Benji, who reconnect for a tour of Poland to honor their grandmother. However, as they delve into their family’s past, old tensions resurface.
A Real Pain, a standout at the Sundance Film Festival, was acquired by Searchlight for $10 million in the first major deal of the event, positioning it as a potential awards contender.
The film’s cast includes Jennifer Grey, Will Sharpe, Kurt Egyiawan, Liza Sadovy, and Daniel Oreskes. Notable producers include Ali Herting, Dave McCary, Ewa Puszczynska, Jennifer Semler, Eisenberg, and Emma Stone.
This project follows Eisenberg’s directorial debut, When You Finish Saving the World, a dramedy starring Julianne Moore and Finn Wolfhard, which premiered at Sundance and was released by A24 in January 2023.
A Real Pain is set to premiere alongside Paramount Pictures’ horror sequel Smile 2, Lionsgate’s Mark Wahlberg thriller Flight Risk, and a yet-to-be-titled Universal Pictures release.
Searchlight Pictures, coming off the success of Yorgos Lanthimos’ Poor Things at the Oscars, continues its streak with upcoming releases including Lanthimos’s Kinds of Kindness, the Hulu-bound The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat, and Marielle Heller’s Nightbitch, starring Amy Adams, which will debut at the 2024 Toronto Film Festival.
