Apple TV+ is developing a limited series remake of the Jude Law-starring rom-com classic The Holiday. Starring Kate Winslet, Cameron Diaz, Law, and Jack Black, Nancy Meyers’ iconic 2006 house swap movie has become a staple during the December holiday season. In the story, Winslet’s English Iris and Diaz’s American Amanda swap houses for the festive period, determined to escape their treacherous love lives.
As reported by Deadline, Apple TV+’s series will maintain the film’s premise but introduce new characters. Casting is reportedly well underway and will determine whether the series gets greenlit. Krissie Ducker (Sweatpea, Killing Eve) is set to write the adaptation, while Catastrophe‘s Rob Delaney will consult. Though Nancy Meyers directed, produced, and wrote the original version of The Holiday, she is not attached to Apple TV’s project.
In the wake of the news, Meyers revealed that she was unaware the remake was in development. In an Instagram story post featuring coverage of the show, Meyers wrote, “News to me. Imagine my surprise when I opened Instagram and this was the first post I saw.” (via Deadline).
What This Means For Apple TV+
In 2006, The Holiday earned over $205 million at the global box office on a budget of $85 million (via Box Office Mojo). It has since become a yearly watch for many during the Christmas season, alongside hits like Love, Actually, Home Alone, and The Grinch. If Apple TV’s adaptation can inspire that same level of devotion, it could be a real coup for the streamer.
Rival Netflix has had success with holiday-themed romantic comedy shows, such as Dash & Lily and the Norwegian series Home for Christmas. While Apple Studios is perhaps better known for major sci-fi and thriller shows like Severance, Slow Horses, and Foundation, it has also found real success and critical acclaim with heartfelt comedy shows like Ted Lasso, Shrinking, and Trying. The Holiday would fit in nicely with those titles.
Our Take On Apple TV+’s Remake Of The Holiday
The biggest challenge facing this remake is the casting. Audiences responded to the chemistry between Diaz’s Amanda and Law’s Graham, as well as Winslet’s and Black’s authentic and heartwarming storyline. Even if the show casts big names (offers have reportedly already been made), the dynamic between the two couples, as well as the dynamic between the new Iris and Amanda, has to work.
Whether the countryside cottage is perfect or not, a romantic comedy is only as strong as its leading couple(s). Apple has a lot of work cut out for itself if it wants to overcome the inevitable comparisons to Nancy Meyers’ film, but The Holiday‘s premise is easily updated for today’s world and has real romantic and comedic potential; Apple could very well have a future hit on its hands.
Source: Deadline
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
