The first trailer for Biutiful director Alejandro G. Iñárritu's latest film, Birdman, was released Thursday, and has already received heaps of positive buzz, much of it centered around enthusiasm for Michael Keaton being back in a starring role. And he's dealing with somewhat familiar territory, playing an actor famous for playing a superhero. (Keaton, for those new to planet Earth, starred in 1989's Batman and 1992's Batman Returns.)

In the film, he's battling personal struggles while preparing to star in a Broadway production of the Raymond Carver play What We Talk About When We Talk About Love. Also starring in Birdman: Emma Stone, Edward Norton, Naomi Watts, Zach Galifianakis and Amy Ryan. The film is scheduled for release on Oct. 17, and the trailer and official synopsis follow.

BIRDMAN or The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance is a black comedy that tells the story of an actor (Michael Keaton) – famous for portraying an iconic superhero – as he struggles to mount a Broadway play. In the days leading up to opening night, he battles his ego and attempts to recover his family, his career, and himself.