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Earlier this week, Netflix dropped the first trailer for That Christmas, which is based on the children's book trilogy by Richard Curtis, best known for his romantic comedy hits like Love Actually and Notting Hill, and it looks like becoming a beloved holiday staple! The movie will also mark the feature film directorial debut for Simon Otto, who's previously been known for his work on How to Train Your Dragon. Working alongside Otto are producers Nicole P. Hearon and Adam Tandy. In addition to the new trailer, LightBox Expo attendees, including Collider's Aidan Kelley, were given a sneak peek at the opening sequence for the film. Here's what he saw:
The first six minutes of That Christmas , introduces the film's diverse cast of characters. The sequence begins with Lighthouse Bill ( Bill Nighy ) guiding Santa Claus ( Brian Cox ) and his sleigh to safety in the midst of a particularly nasty storm on Christmas Eve. Once Santa lands, he soon realizes he has some work to do, as a group of kids are having problems that they need help with. After flashing back to a few days earlier, the film then introduces shy new kid Danny ( Jack Wisniewski ), rebellious teen Bernadette ( India Brown ), and nice girl Sam ( Zazie Hayhurst ) and her naughty twin sister Charlie ( Sienna Sayer ), all four of whom are working on Bernadette's dramatic reimagining of the birth of Jesus.
That Christmas blends several heart-touching stories revolving around family, friendship, and the festive season’s nonsense, including a major mix-up by Old Saint Nick himself. The story takes audiences through themes of love, loneliness, and a comedic crisis involving a hilarious number of turkeys. The footage we've seen from That Christmas shows off the unique animation style and vibrant world that Curtis and Otto have built, and it looks like it will be a movie that perfectly encapsulates the spirit of Christmas.
Who Stars in 'That Christmas'?
That Christmas has a mightily impressive ensemble on board. Leading the voice cast are Brian Cox and Fiona Shaw, joined by Jodie Whittaker, Lolly Adefope, Bill Nighy, and Rhys Darby. The full cast also includes Alex Macqueen, Katherine Parkinson, Sindhu Vee, India Brown, Zazie Hayhurst, Sienna Sayer, Jack Wisniewski, Rosie Cavaliero, Paul Kaye, Guz Khan, Andy Nyman, Kuhu Agarwal, Bronte Smith, Freddie Spry, and Ava Talbot.
Accompanying the action on screen will be a score by the outstanding composer John Powell, known for his ability to add some magic to his music, particularly from the How to Train Your Dragon series. The official logline can be found below:
"Based on the charming trilogy of children’s books by beloved multi award-winning writer/director Richard Curtis, That Christmas follows a series of entwined tales about family and friends, love and loneliness, and Santa Claus making a big mistake, not to mention an enormous number of turkeys!"
That Christmas will be released on Netflix on December 4. Stay tuned to Collider as we await more updates and sneak peeks from the latest in a long line of festive films that bring some cheer at the most wonderful time of the year.
In a heartwarming holiday tale, three interconnected stories unfold in a small town during Christmas. Each narrative explores the themes of family, forgiveness, and the magic of the season. From a young couple trying to revive their fading love to an estranged father seeking redemption, the characters find that Christmas has a way of bringing people together and healing old wounds.
Release Date December 4, 2024
Director Simon Otto
Runtime 92 Minutes
Main Genre Hooliday
Writers Nicole P. Hearon , Adam Tandy
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English (US) ·