Earlier this week, Stan announced that production has commenced in Sydney for the latest Stan Original Film, Nugget is Dead: A Christmas Story.
The streamer promised ‘a comedy that will pull on heartstrings this festive season’ and ‘a character-driven comedy about strained familial relationships and reconnecting at a time when everyone is forced to come together.’
The film is the debut feature of writers Jenna Owen and Vic Zerbst, who are best known for their original sketch comedy work on SBS’s The Feed, amassing over 90 million views online.
Nugget Is Dead: A Christmas Story is an Easy Tiger and CBS Studios production and will premiere on Stan later this year.
Nugget is Dead: A Christmas Story
Here’s the synopsis: ‘When her beloved family dog, Nugget, falls sick over Christmas, Steph Stool (Vic Zerbst) must abandon her very elegant holiday plans with her boyfriend’s family, and return instead to her small coastal hometown to confront the chaos of her own… less elegant family. In the week leading up to Christmas, each member of the Stool family must grapple with the mortality of the one thing that unifies them.’
As well as Zerbst and Owen, the cast includes Gia Carides, Damien Garvey, and Mandy McElhinney. Steve Rodgers, Alec Snow, Tara Morice, Priscilla Doueihy, Claude Jabbour, Ed Oxenbould, Diana McLean, Lelong Hu, Tiriel Mora, Alexei Toliopoulos and Kerry Armstrong will also appear.
Imogen McCluskey is directing the film, with Naomi Just producing, and Easy Tiger’s Rob Gibson and Ian Collie executive producing alongside Cailah Scobie and Donna Chang for Stan.
In the announcement, McCluskey said, ‘Nugget is Dead: A Christmas Story is a big-hearted, hilarious and refreshingly modern story with a stellar cast. Striking the balance between the deeply personal and universal, Jenna and Vic have created a story that is sure to hit home for our audience.’
Producer Naomi Just said the film had everything a Christmas film should offer. ‘…comedy, chaotic families, endless food and summer, as well as one very special dog called Nugget.’
The holiday film continues Stan’s tradition of providing Christmas films tailored to Australian family audiences, with previous offerings including A Sunburnt Christmas, Christmas on the Farm, Christmas Ransom and Jones Family Christmas.
Read: Stan – new shows and films streaming this week
Writers Vic Zerbst and Jenna Owen said: ‘We couldn’t be prouder and more excited to bring our special movie to Stan this Christmas. To be taking our first deep-dive into longform with a cast of Australian icons, new and old… it’s beyond our wildest dreams.’​
Rob Gibson and Ian Collie of Easy Tiger Production said: ‘We’re thrilled to partner with our amazingly talented pals Jenna and Vic to bring their gloriously chaotic vision of Australian Christmas to the screen. It’s been a delight to work with them every step of the way, with the passionate support of Stan and CBS Studios, and we know this movie will make audiences everywhere laugh and cry.’
Production Credit: The Stan Original Film Nugget Is Dead: A Christmas Story is an Easy Tiger and CBS Studios production with principal production investment from Screen NSW. The film is directed by Imogen McCluskey, written by Vic Zerbst and Jenna Owen, produced by Naomi Just (Stan Original Film Christmas Ransom) and executive produced by Rob Gibson and Ian Collie (Stan Original Series Scrublands). Cailah Scobie and Donna Chang are executive producing for Stan.
Nugget Is Dead: A Christmas Story will premiere on Stan later this year.
