Bradley Cooper hasn’t been seen on our screens much over the last couple of years, but he’s poised to come riding back into multiplexes with a vengeance. On top of generating Best Supporting Actor buzz for a single scene in Paul Thomas Anderson’s Licorice Pizza, he’s got Guillermo del Toro’s Nightmare Alley coming next month.
He’ll also be stepping back into the recording booth as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Rocket Raccoon when Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 wraps principal photography, and he’s set to step behind the camera to direct his first feature since awards season favorite A Star is Born.
You may not realize this, but Cooper is actually one of the unluckiest names in the history of the Academy Awards, having received eight nominations for writing, acting and producing without a win. However, a lavish Netflix biopic of legendary musician Elmore Bernstein could be set to end his dry run.
Steven Spielberg was originally developing the true-life tale for himself, but when his focus switched to West Side Story and upcoming semi-autobiographical drama The Fabelmans, Cooper stepped in to star, direct, produce and co-write, while Netflix acquired the rights from Paramount. According to World of Reel, shooting begins in May 2022, and it’s already got Oscar front-runner written all over it.
