“The Big Sick” director Michael Showalter has found his follow-up project and will direct Universal Pictures’ untitled holiday comedy starring Academy Award nominee Jessica Chastain and Oscar winner Octavia Spencer, an individual with knowledge of the project tells TheWrap.
Universal Pictures recently acquired the pitch from Chastain’s Freckle Films, which follows two women fighting the elements to make it home by Christmas. Chastain and Kelly Carmichael wrote the treatment and Peter Chiarelli will write the script. Following a heated bidding war, Universal beat out Fox and Paramount for it.
Chastain is attached to produce with Freckle Films and Maven Pictures. The project reunites Chastain and Spencer, who each earned Oscar nominations for the “The Help,” with Spencer taking home the gold for best supporting actress.
Kelly Carmichael, Celine Rattray and Trudie Styler will also produce.
Executive vice president of production Erik Baiers and creative executive Mika Pryce will oversee the project for Universal.
Showalter also co-created the Netflix series “Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later,” which is based on his and David Wain’s cult classic of the same name. Showalter has also directed several episodes of Netflix’s “Love” and “Grace and Frankie,” and TBS’ “Search Party.”
Showalter is represented by UTA, Principato-Young Entertainment and Stone, Genow, Smelkinson, Binder & Christopher, LLP.
Variety first reported the news.