Ella McCay trailer teases a politician struggling with familial issues in the Emma Mackey starrer comedy

Ella McCay is a forthcoming film written and directed by James L. Brooks. The political comedy drama is slated to be released theatrically by 20th Century Studios on December 12, 2025. The film stars British actress Emma Mackey as the titular protagonist. Here's the official synopsis as per Letterboxd,

An idealistic young politician juggles familial issues and a challenging work life while preparing to take over the job of her mentor, the state’s longtime incumbent governor.

Its official trailer has dropped recently, and it showcases the struggles of an idealistic politician. Let us look into all the details mentioned in the trailer.

Ella McCay trailer released

The official trailer of Ella McCay has finally been released on the internet. The two-minute and 24-second-long video begins with an old woman hilariously breaking the fourth wall and telling us that she's the narrator.

McCay then goes on to meet her estranged father, who starts reciting how he is in love with a woman. We then realize that McCay is no ordinary woman, but the Governor of a US state. We realize that her idealistic manners are making her struggle with familial issues.

The film is produced by James L. Brooks, Julie Ansell, Richard Sakai, and Jennifer Simchowitz. Here is a list of its cast members:

Emma Mackey as Ella McCay
Jamie Lee Curtis as Helen McCay
Jack Lowden as Ryan
Kumail Nanjiani as Trooper Nash
Spike Fearn as Casey McCay
Ayo Edebiri as Susan
Albert Brooks as Governor Bill
Woody Harrelson as Eddie McCay
Rebecca Hall as Ella's mother
Julie Kavner as Estelle
Becky Ann Baker

The film marks Brooks' return to the director's chair after his 2010's How Do You Know. In an April THR interview, Brooks spoke about collaborating with Emma MacKey. He said,

"It’s great to hear you say that, because I was aware of S*x Education. She brilliantly played a 16-year-old. She plays a range of ages in this movie, one of which is 16, and she’s remarkable. She was 28 when we started, and for the bulk of the movie, she plays 34. I was in an audition process for a long time. I went to London, and very late in the game she turned up, and that was it. In my mind, I pictured the kind of heroines that we had in the ’50s and ’60s, early Katharine Hepburn and Rosalind Russell."

Ella McCay will be released theatrically on December 12, 2025.