Lionsgate dropped the first trailer for Good Boy on October 23, 2025, delivering a devastating punch to the gut with a story of unwavering canine loyalty amid human despair. Directed by up-and-comer Sarah Adina Smith (Birds of Paradise) and starring Yellowjackets standout Kevin Alves as a terminally ill young man and a remarkably expressive rescue dog named Max, the film promises to join the ranks of tear-jerkers like Marley & Me and A Dog’s Purpose when it hits theaters March 28, 2026.

The two-minute preview opens on a sun-dappled suburban street, Alves’ character—28-year-old mechanic Jake Harlan—tossing a frayed tennis ball to Max, a scruffy golden retriever mix with soulful brown eyes. “You’re a good dog,” Jake says in voiceover, his tone warm but weary, as quick cuts reveal his diagnosis: stage IV pancreatic cancer, six months to live. Flashbacks show their origin story—Jake adopting Max from a kill shelter five years prior, the pup’s anxious whimpers giving way to joyful tail-wags as they build a life of road trips, backyard barbecues, and midnight couch cuddles. “Boy, you saved me first,” Jake narrates, a lump evident in his throat.

The trailer’s emotional core detonates at the 1:35 mark. Jake, now frail and hospitalized, strokes Max’s head through the bed rails as the dog whines softly, pawing at the blanket. “You can’t save me this time,” Jake whispers, tears streaming. “You gotta stay here—for them.” A cut to his grieving sister (played by Euphoria‘s Storm Reid) and widowed mother (Oscar nominee Maria Bello) underscores the plea: Max must become their anchor after Jake’s gone. The line—”You’re a good dog. Boy, you can’t save me. You gotta stay here”—lands like a sledgehammer, Max’s confused tilt of the head and Jake’s broken smile freezing the frame as Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” swells mournfully.

Alves, 34, prepared rigorously for the role, spending weeks at a Los Angeles animal shelter to bond with Max—a 6-year-old rescue trained by renowned Hollywood animal coordinator April Mackin. “Kevin and Max had real chemistry from day one,” Smith told Entertainment Weekly. “We shot chronologically to capture the progression—health to decline—and the dog’s reactions were unscripted. There were days the crew couldn’t continue because everyone was crying.” Alves, known for his intense Yellowjackets survival arcs, called it his toughest gig. “Jake’s not just dying—he’s orchestrating his dog’s future. That responsibility wrecked me,” he shared in a Variety profile.

The story draws from a viral 2022 Reddit thread by u/ThrowRA_GoodBoyMom, detailing a terminally ill veteran’s plan to rehome his service dog with his estranged family. Screenwriters Jessica Caldwell and Mark Shear adapted it loosely, relocating to a working-class Ohio town and adding layers of familial estrangement. Jake’s sister, long alienated after a teenage fallout, returns home skeptical of his “dying wish” for Max to bridge their gap. Bello’s character, hardened by years of single parenting, softens as Max’s intuitive nudges—bringing her Jake’s old baseball glove, sleeping outside her door—melt decades of ice.

Supporting players flesh out the world: Abbott Elementary‘s Quinta Brunson as Jake’s wisecracking nurse who sneaks Max into the hospital, and The Bear‘s Lionel Boyce as his best friend organizing bucket-list adventures—a final Browns game, a Lake Erie fishing trip where Max catches his own trout. Comic relief punctuates the pain, like Max stealing Jake’s chemo beanie or photobombing a Make-A-Wish video call.

Cinematographer Ava Berkofsky (Insecure) lenses the film in warm 35mm, contrasting golden-hour playfulness with sterile hospital blues. The trailer’s color palette shifts accordingly—vibrant at the start, desaturated as Jake weakens, Max’s fur the sole constant glow. Editor Jennifer Lame (Oppenheimer) weaves montages of parallel routines: Jake teaching Max tricks as a pup, then Max “teaching” Jake breathing exercises during treatment.

Animal welfare was paramount. The production partnered with the ASPCA, donating $100,000 and featuring shelter dogs in background roles. Max’s trainer ensured no more than four-hour workdays, with play breaks and a canine therapist on set. “We treated Max like the co-star he is,” Mackin said. Post-filming, Alves adopted Max’s understudy, a pup named Milo, joking on Instagram: “Couldn’t leave without a piece of the heartbreak.”

Social media erupted post-trailer. #GoodBoyMovie trended with 1.5 million mentions on X, users posting pet photos captioned with Jake’s line. “Not emotionally prepared,” one wrote alongside a video of their dog staring soulfully. TikTok’s “Good Boy Challenge” has owners recreating the hospital scene with stuffed animals, amassing 10 million views. Even celebrities chimed in: Ryan Reynolds tweeted, “Bring industrial tissues,” while Selena Gomez shared a crying emoji.

Critics who caught test screenings praise the restraint. The Wrap called it “a masterclass in earned tears—never manipulative, always devastating.” Early Oscar buzz swirls around Alves for Best Actor and Max for an honorary nod, with the Humane Society pushing a “Best Animal Performance” campaign. The trailer’s final shot—Max curled on Jake’s empty bed, one paw on his worn work boot—has already spawned fan art and adoption inquiries.

Good Boy arrives amid a dog-movie renaissance—following Strays (2023) and Dog Gone (2024)—but stakes higher emotional ground. Producers include Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine and A Dog’s Purpose duo Gavin Polone and Lasse Hallström as executive producer. Budgeted at $18 million, it’s poised for sleeper-hit status, targeting the The Art of Racing in the Rain demo.

As Jake’s journey ends, Max’s begins—learning to love a new family while carrying his old one’s ghost. The trailer’s closing text: “Some heroes have four paws and a wet nose.” For audiences, Good Boy isn’t just a film—it’s a reminder of the silent promises pets keep long after we’re gone. Bring tissues, leave changed.