“The Work In Progress” Trailer Released for Documentary Project Executive-Produced by Robert Reich

A trailer for the documentary film The Work In Progress was released publicly this week, Deadline reported on Aug. 5, with the project marked as a new return to nonfiction filmmaking for Robert Reich, who also served as an executive producer. The outlet described the effort as seeking a constructive role in addressing political and social division in the United States, using the line about “help[ing] bridge America’s deepest divides” in connection with the film’s approach.

Deadline’s report positions Reich, a former U.S. Labor Secretary, as an increasingly prominent figure in the documentary space, citing the prior performance of a Reich-linked nonfiction film. The outlet said Reich’s 2025 documentary The Last Class ranked among the top-grossing nonfiction films of last year, and that it earned more than $1 million at the box office.

The Work In Progress trailer, Deadline said, represents Reich’s return to the documentary format, this time with him credited as executive producer. The report frames the project as a continuation of Reich’s media work after The Last Class, indicating a sustained focus on nonfiction storytelling tied to his public life and themes.

Deadline did not, in its published summary, identify additional creative credits, distribution plans, or a specific release date for The Work In Progress. As a result, the practical next steps for viewers and industry stakeholders are limited to the fact that the trailer has been unveiled and the film is in development or promotion rather than a fully documented release schedule.

For the documentary industry, trailer rollouts are often the first public report of packaging, marketing posture, and audience targeting. In this case, the reported “deepest divides” message suggests that the film is being marketed around civic reconciliation themes, alongside the fact that the prior Reich-linked nonfiction title drew enough box-office attention to be described as a top-grossing nonfiction release.

Reich’s recent nonfiction track record, as described by Deadline, could also matter for how audiences, theater partners, and streaming platforms evaluate the market for issue-oriented documentaries. The outlet’s claim that The Last Class cleared more than $1 million at the box office underscores that nonfiction films tied to well-known public figures can find measurable commercial traction.

The Work In Progress is now the latest Reich-branded documentary project to move into the public awareness phase via a released trailer. Additional details, including its final release timing and full credits, would be the next items to watch as the film advances beyond the trailer stage.