Josh Duhamel stars in PEOPLE’s exclusive first trailer for Preschool, a comedy marking his directorial debut. Set in London, the movie follows competitive parents trying to secure a spot for their child at an “ultra‑posh preschool.” The film arrives on digital March 17.
Josh Duhamel will stop at nothing to secure the final spot in an elite London preschool in his latest comedy.
The actor makes his directorial debut with Preschool, a satire of competitive parents navigating the high‑stakes world of school admissions, and PEOPLE has the exclusive first trailer.
Set in London, the film follows two dads, played by Duhamel and Michael Socha, who “set their sights on the last open spot at an ultra‑posh preschool,” according to a synopsis.
“What begins as a simple application snowballs into a wildly escalating rivalry packed with big‑hearted laughs, outrageous one‑upmanship and surprising consequences,” the synopsis continues. “As schemes spiral and families get pulled into the madness, both fathers discover what they’re really willing to do for their kids — and what it means to be a parent.” Duhamel says he became familiar with the absurdity of school admissions when enrolling his own children. He shares son Axl, 12, with ex‑wife Fergie, and son Shepherd, 2, with wife Audra Mari.
“I found the whole process of preschool admissions to be hilarious and at times insane,” he says. “Having been through it a couple of times and going through it currently, it’s amazing what parents will do to get their kid into something as seemingly innocent as preschool.”
Preschool is written by Richard D’Ovidio, based on a story by him and his wife Nicole D’Ovidio. The cast also includes Antonia Thomas, Charity Wakefield, Fenella Woolgar and James Cosmo.
The plot was originally set in California, but Duhamel says relocating it to London “changed everything” and opened the door to a different class of comedic actors.
“What started as a new‑age preschool in Malibu became a centuries‑old institution with history and tradition. That change in story really affected the way we cast it,” he explains. “I was lucky they have a deep pool of incredibly talented actors to choose from.”
He calls Socha, Thomas and Wakefield “fantastic actors and incredibly kind humans — they made my job very easy.”
When asked what it was like settling into the director’s chair for his first feature film, Duhamel admits it came with challenges.
“The most challenging thing about directing while also acting is that you can’t be in two places at once,” the Ransom Canyon star says. “As a director, you want to be watching every detail from behind the monitor, but as an actor you have to be fully present in the scene. Balancing those two roles requires a lot of trust in the team around you and a lot of preparation.”
Still, the “most rewarding part” of directing for Duhamel was the chance to “shape the entire world of the film — visually, tonally, creatively. From design to wardrobe to working with your DP, you’re bringing what’s in your head to life.” He believes the over‑the‑top antics in the movie will resonate with audiences.
“I think we made an incredibly relatable movie for anyone who has kids or knows people who do and has seen the lengths parents will go to give their kids the best shot at success,” he says, adding, “It’s sweet, it’s smart, and it’s really funny.”
Preschool is on digital March 17.
