Bradley Cooper’s ‘A Star Is Born’ Holds First Exhibitor Screening, Theater Owners Predict ‘Oscar Noms Across the Board’ — Report

Fall film festival season is quickly taking shape, with the latest news coming from Deadline that Bradley Cooper’s “A Star Is Born” is set to world premiere out of competition at the Venice Film Festival on Friday, August 31. The music drama marks Cooper’s directorial debut and stars the actor opposite Lady Gaga, who is making her feature film debut as the young ingenue swept off her feet by Cooper’s country music legend and thrown into the world of stardom.

According to Deadline’s Pete Hammond and Nancy Tartaglione, Warner Bros. recently held its first official “A Star Is Born” screening for exhibitors and the reaction was “through the roof.” The screening took place Wednesday, July 18 at the Dolby Screening Room in Hollywood. Cooper appeared in person before the screening began to introduce the film to exhibitors.

One major theater owner told Deadline he predicts “big box office” and “Oscar nominations across the board” for the movie, including best picture, best director, and acting nominations for Cooper and Gaga.

Another exhibitor from a top movie theater chain told Deadline Cooper’s directorial debut is “fantastic.” The exhibitor was impressed by Cooper’s singing and “predicted Oscar buzz for both leads.” The exhibitor also mentioned Cooper’s decision to film all of the music performances live paid off, as the concert scenes felt and sounded like they were shot and recorded from raw concert footage.

“A Star Is Born” has been building Oscar buzz ever since the first trailer wowed press at CinemaCon in April. The property has proven to be an Oscar favorite in the past, with all three previous film versions earning Oscar nominations and/or wins.

Warner Bros. will open “A Star Is Born” nationwide October 5.