Focus Features’ “The Holdovers,” from director Alexander Payne, will stream exclusively on Peacock on Dec. 29, the company announced Friday.
Paul Giamatti stars as a grumpy teacher at a New England prep school who must stay on campus over Christmas break to watch a few students who can’t go home. He unwillingly connects with one of the troubled, intelligent students (newcomer Dominic Sessa) and with the grieving school cook (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) who recently lost her son in Vietnam.
“The Holdovers” is the story of these three outsiders finding common ground during the holidays.
Peacock is now streaming “The Holdovers” in addition to several other recent movies. Blumhouse released the horror film “The Exorcist: Believer” for the streaming service. “Five Nights at Freddy’s,” which was successful at the box office, is also now on Peacock. “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3,” the comedy sequel from Focus Features, can be streamed as well.
Universal Pictures added two of its films – “Fast X” which continues the popular “Fast & Furious” franchise and another film called “Strays.”
Payne last worked with Giamatti on “Sideways.” To hear Payne tell it, giving Giamatti another starring vehicle with “The Holdovers” was a reunion 20 years in the making.
“I’ve had a bunch of good actors in my career and been really lucky, and they’ve all been really great and cooperative and stuff, but I have a special place in my heart for Paul Giamatti, because we really got on great 20 years ago,” Payne told TheWrap, putting on a country twang to hit the point home. “I’ve been looking for the time to work with him again – and it finally happened.”