ComingSoon can exclusively reveal the trailer for The Designer, an upcoming thriller from Saban Films starring Gina Gershon and Ethan Slater. Director Em Johnson, who previously directed Blush and Balloon Animal, helms the upcoming movie. In addition to Gershon and Slater, it stars Katherine Waddell, Jesse James Keitel, and Michelle Hurd.
“Desperate for identity, Gerry Quinn joins Kismetta, a thriving multi-level marketing empire built by
partners Josephine and Darla. Gerry will stop at nothing to succeed and fit in, even if the cost turns
her into someone unrecognizable,” says the official synopsis.
What do we see in The Designer trailer?
The trailer opens with Gerry (Waddell) watching an interview with one of Kismetta’s founders, played by Gershon, who shares similar dreams. After joining the company, she draws attention from employees who sense something eerie beneath the surface. As Gerry climbs the corporate ladder, she also starts to imitate the founder, which creeps her out. The trailer ends with a montage of various characters finding dead bodies.
The Designer comes from Incandescent Entertainment, First Bloom Films, and Hemlock Circle Productions. Jiarui Guo, Warner Davis, Todd Friedman, and Waddell produce the movie. Lillian Todd and Gene Hasek serve as executive producers, joined by Jay Burnley as co-executive producer.
Johnson previously collaborated with Waddell on Balloon Animal. Slater is known for Wicked, while Gershon’s credits include Borderlands and Thanksgiving. Waddell has also appeared in films like Project MKHEXE, Dinner in America, and Pennsylvania Holy Ghosts. Keitel starred in Peacock’s Queer as Folk reboot, and Hurd appeared in Star Trek: Picard. Slater earned a Tony nomination for SpongeBob SquarePants: The Broadway Musical, while Gershon has also appeared in the series Awkwafina Is Nora from Queens and New Amsterdam.
The Designer releases on December 4, 2026, on Digital and on-demand services.