New Jimmy Stewart Movie Reveals How ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ Shaped His Faith: Director
The director of an upcoming movie about Jimmy Stewart is sharing new details about the film just days after a trailer debuted and the movie’s star, KJ Apa, attended a celebration honoring the legendary actor in Stewart’s hometown.
The film, simply titled Jimmy, will open in theaters Nov. 6 and tell the story of the beloved actor best known for his role in It's a Wonderful Life, but who also left a lasting mark on American history by serving as a combat pilot during World War II. The Oscar-winning actor died in 1997 at the age of 89.
Apa (I Still Believe, Riverdale) attended a birthday celebration on May 20 in Indiana, Pa. – the hometown of Stewart – alongside Stewart’s daughter and movie executive producer, Kelly Stewart-Harcourt. The event also featured the opening of a new exhibit at the Jimmy Stewart Museum and included director Aaron Burns, who debuted the film’s new trailer.
Burns told Crosswalk Headlines the film is a story of redemption. He is known for his work on such movies as Overcomer, Legacy Peak, and Birthright Outlaw.
“He was a combat pilot serving in the front lines, and wound up flying 20 missions against the Nazis – and he had chosen to leave his Hollywood career behind for three years and go over to serve his country,” Burns said.
Stewart later said the prayer his character, George Bailey, utters in Martini’s bar in It's a Wonderful Life helped transform not only the character’s life, but his own as well.
“That prayer became a real prayer, and was kind of the beginning of his own spiritual journey and transformation,” Burns told Crosswalk Headlines. “I had always loved the film, but had no idea that there's more richness in those layers behind it.”
Burns worked with Stewart’s family, including Stewart-Harcourt, to ensure the film’s authenticity.
Stewart-Harcourt embraced the project because it focuses on the transformative period spanning Stewart’s first Oscar in 1941 (for The Philadelphia Story), his World War II service, and the making of It's a Wonderful Life.
“She was delighted, because she said her dad's favorite movie was It's a Wonderful Life, the one that meant the most to him, and what he was most proud of was his service to his fellow men and to our country in World War II,” Burns said, noting that Stewart served two decades in the Air Force Reserve.
“He spent a lot of his time giving back to veterans,” Burns said.
Stewart-Harcourt shared with Burns previously untold World War II stories from Jimmy Stewart’s personal journal – a journal he had left in his nightstand – along with a flight logbook documenting the missions he flew in, written in his own handwriting. One of the Oscars he received makes an appearance in the film, too – thanks to the family.
“What I think is so fun about a movie like Jimmy is it really is a movie for everyone, because we honor the good parts of old Hollywood and the stories that they told and the way they did that,” Burns said. “So if you're a person who lives in Hollywood and loves that, you'll find things there. From a military perspective, we honor the sacrifice that our armed services have given to us – so if you're a patriotic American, you're going to enjoy the story. There's a beautiful romance in it, drama, and the action of war.
“There are elements in there that I think appeal to a wide audience, but certainly to people who share my perspective and point of view, as you watch it, you'll be moved by the way God and His sovereignty and His love orchestrated the events of Jimmy's life to bring him to this point of brokenness, to bring him to the point of healing so he could live the rest of his journey that way.”
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Michael Foust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His stories have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, The Christian Post, the Leaf-Chronicle, the Toronto Star and the Knoxville News-Sentinel.
Listen to Michael's Podcast! He is the host of Crosswalk Talk, a podcast where he talks with Christian movie stars, musicians, directors, and more. Hear how famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian movies, books, television, and other entertainment. You can find Crosswalk Talk on LifeAudio.com, or subscribe on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an interview that will be sure to encourage your faith.
Originally published May 21, 2026.
