If it feels like it's taken far too long for LGBTQ+ filmmakers to be given the shot at making a studio romantic comedy that actually represents them (and features LGBTQ+ actors in all the main roles), it is. But Billy Eichner has now co-written and is starring in Universal's new comedy Bros, which has its first, red band trailer online.
Eichner plays Bobby Leiber, an out and outspoken podcaster who is approached by a big movie studio to write a gay rom-com "that straight people can enjoy". So far, so meta... But Bobby is also facing the prospect that he might have actually found someone he can tolerate being in a relationship with (Luke Macfarlane's Aaron) — if Bobby can just get out of his own way.
"It is my pleasure — and truly one of the most thrilling moments of my life — to share the world premiere of the first trailer for my movie, Bros, with you," says Eichner in a statement that was sent initially to LGBTQ+ media. "From the very beginning of developing Bros, I let everyone involved know that, while I wanted to make a movie that was hilarious and relatable to everyone, first and foremost I wanted to make a movie that felt authentic for the LGBTQ folks that the movie is about — and who have been so profoundly underserved by Hollywood over the years, particularly the major movie studios. From the storytelling to the casting to the crew, it was crucial for me that the needs of LGBTQ+ people were being prioritized."
He continues: "As you know, Bros is historic in several ways. It’s the first gay rom ever released by a major studio, it’s the first major studio film with an all LGBTQ+ cast in all the roles — even the straight roles — and apparently I’m the first openly gay man to ever write and star in his own major studio film, which is bizarre and infuriating but somehow true. But aside from all the historic statistics attached to it, what I wanted most of all was to make an authentic, hilarious and heartfelt film about what it’s like to be a single adult gay man attempting a relationship in 2022. I’m prouder of it than anything I’ve ever done — and I hope you’ll be proud of it too."
Ts Madison, Monica Raymund, Guillermo Díaz, Guy Branum, Bowen Yang, Jim Rash and Amanda Bearse are also all in the movie, which was co-written and directed by Nicholas Stoller with Judd Apatow producing.
Bros will be in cinemas on 28 October.