As mentioned a few weeks ago, Olivia Wilde, coming off the great reviews for “The Invite,” is set to shoot her next film in August. It’s a holiday comedy, “Naughty,” which has now cast its two leads.
Jennifer Aniston and Peter Dinklage will star in Wilde’s fourth film as a director. Universal has also dated the film for a November 5, 2027, release. It’s an unusual pairing—and no, Dinklage is not playing an elf; he will actually portray Santa Claus. The potential is there for a great comedy.
“Naughty” follows Mallory (Aniston), a mother whose last chance at winning custody of her son from her manipulative, toxic ex is to track down Santa Claus (Dinklage) and persuade him to testify at her divorce hearing.
The screenplay was written by “Cocaine Bear” scribe Jimmy Warden, and there’s good reason a bidding war erupted over it back in 2023, with Universal ultimately landing the winning bid.
According to Deadline, Wilde always had Aniston and Dinklage in mind to star as Mallory and Santa. This is a great opportunity for Aniston to work with a filmmaker coming off one of the more acclaimed American films of the year so far.
“The Invite,” acquired by A24 out of Sundance, currently sits at 97% on Rotten Tomatoes and an 82 on Metacritic. Audience scores have also been strong, and the film has grossed $20M domestically. However, “Naughty” seems to be more of a commercial play, with a major studio, and holiday theme behind it.
Wilde had to live through all the drama surrounding her 2022 flop “Don’t Worry Darling,” which took a beating from critics. Yet, according to her, that film’s failure—and her decision to go back to basics with a $20M-costing indie, “The Invite”—felt “liberating.” She’s now set to move on to her next film, which Universal ultimately decided to fast track after the success of “The Invite.”