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After a disastrous conclusion to his foray in horror with his doomed Exorcist reboot, David Gordon Green is back to form in Nutcrackers, a somewhat by-the-numbers comedy starring Ben Stiller. Like The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, though, I was drawn to this film because of its heart. Amongst the tense political climate and general separation America seems to be facing, it’s nice to shed the cynicism, a message that makes this a nice addition to Hulu’s catalog.

Nutcrackers Review

Mike (Ben Stiller) works at an advertising firm or something like that and is about to make a big deal. It’s not particularly important what he does; all that’s important is that he has a boring external goal that he has to face after the death of his sister thrusts him into the role of adoptive father to four children in a rural dump. The kids sort...

Not every year brings a new holiday classic, but this Friday, David Gordon Green slips one under the tree.

Snapped up by Hulu following its premiere at the Toronto Film Festival, the film is Nutcrackers, a little dramedy Green shot out on a small-town Ohio farm late last year, with an interim agreement in hand. Ben Stiller stars as Mike, a workaholic who heads out to the Buckeye State to look after his recently orphaned nephews, developing a closer bond with the rowdy bunch than he had anticipated.

Green’s way into the project was unconventional — engineering a film around the charismatic young sons of a close film school friend. After years steeping himself in horror, between an Exorcist film and a Halloween trilogy, the project marked a return to his humanist roots, as well as his first feature comedy in almost a decade. But while pivoting creatively, as he’s known to do,...

Ben Stiller made his directorial debut with the 1994 romantic comedy-drama Reality Bites. Since so many classic films have been given the sequel treatment, the actor recently talked about the possibility of doing a follow-up.

"It has come up," Stiller told MovieWeb. "I don't have a desire to do that, because I feel like that movie was so of a time, you know?" However, the actor, who also starred in the film opposite Winona Ryder and Ethan Hawke, hasn't completely ruled out the possibility of a sequel. "That movie was the first movie I ever directed," he said. "It could be revisited, but it would be a whole different thing. And I think that movie, what I love about it is it's of its time and where we were at that moment in time."

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Nutcrackers marks the return of Ben Stiller in a leading role. He plays Mike, who heads to the heart of Ohio to care for his four rambunctious nephews in the aftermath of his sister and her husband passing away in a tragic car accident. Though initially hesitant, Mike realizes they may be the family he's always needed.

Director David Gordon Green was inspired by real-life brothers - Homer Janson, Ulysses Janson, Arlo Janson, and Atlas Janson - and actually filmed on their family farm. This is the first acting role for all four boys. Green is well known in the horror world for movies like Halloween Kills (2021) and Halloween (2018), but is no stranger to comedy either, as he directs and produces The Righteous Gemstones.

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Related Janson Siblings & Writer Leland Douglas Talk Working With Ben Stiller On The Nutcrackers Red Carpet [TIFF]

Screen Rant attends the Nutcrackers premiere at the Toronto...

Nutcrackers is a family drama film that is perfect for the holiday season. Directed by David Gordon Green (best known for the new Halloween trilogy) and starring Ben Stiller, it follows his character Mike, who travels to Ohio after his sister's passing to take care of his nephews while they wait for a foster family.

The four boys who star in Nutcrackers are siblings in real life, experiencing their first acting job together, and the movie was filmed at their house. Linda Cardellini, meanwhile, plays the social worker who is trying to help them find a new home. Nutcrackers starts streaming on Hulu November 29, just in time to ring in the holidays.

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Related Janson Siblings & Writer Leland Douglas Talk Working With Ben Stiller On The Nutcrackers Red Carpet [TIFF]

Screen Rant attends the Nutcrackers premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival and chats with the cast about filming on a farm in Ohio.

Ben Stiller returns to a lead role for the first time in six years, teaming up with Director David Gordon Green to bring to life the film Nutcrackers. The Hulu original movie debuted at the 2024 Toronto Film Festival and will be available to stream on November 29. We had the pleasure of chatting with Ben Stiller, Linda Cardellini, and the four Janson brothers ahead of the film’s release.

Nutcrackers follows Nick, a workaholic forced to travel to rural Ohio to look after his recently orphaned nephews. Stillers’ return to films is met with a warm blanket. The movie isn’t slapstick funny but more of a family comedy. You will want to grab the kids, microwave popcorn, and enjoy family movie night. The Janson brothers will have the kids laughing, and Stiller’s reactions will have the adults laughing. It’s the type of movie that makes you feel like a kid again.

As the holiday season kicks into high gear, so too does the arrival of a new crop of movies centered around themes of love and family. While Netflix gleefully throws itself into the Hallmark-esque brand of holiday romance and cheer, Hulu has a decidedly different kind of offering, albeit with some heartwarming moments of its own. Nutcrackers is a family dramedy that isn't exactly sentimental, yet it still somehow achieves a sincere conclusion.

Nutcrackers

Director David Gordon GreenRelease Date November 29, 2024Writers Leland DouglasCast Linda Cardellini, Edi Patterson, Toby Huss, Tim Heidecker, Ben StillerRating Not Yet RatedRuntime 104 MinutesGenres Family, DramaMain Genre Comedy

The movie is directed by David Gordon Green, who in recent years has dabbled more in iconic horror franchises than straightforward family sagas. He demonstrates a deft hand at directing child actors here perhaps not surprising after last year's Believer though the whole thing would fall apart without a strong,...

Director David Gordon Green returns to the world of comedy with Nutcrackers, starring Ben Stiller. Here’s a festive trailer:

For the last few years, director David Gordon Green has spearheaded the revival of John Carpenter’s iconic Halloween franchise, helming 2018’s Halloween, 2021’s Halloween Kills and 2023’s Halloween Ends. It was quite a sharp left turn from the films that made his name, like The Sitter, Your Highness and stoner comedy Pineapple Express. Or his stately dramas like George Washington, All The Real Girls or Joe.

Now, Gordon Green returns to the world of comedy with Nutcrackers, a festive film about a wealthy single chap (Ben Stiller) who reluctantly becomes the surrogate father figure to a highly dysfunctional family.

The synopsis for the movie reads as follows:

Hotshot Chicago real estate developer Michael (Ben Stiller) never had time for family. His sister once said he was incapable of love.

After making a name for himself as one of the most successful comedy directors of the 2000s, David Gordon Green enjoyed a mid-career pivot that saw him become a reliable horror filmmaker with his Blumhouse-backed “Halloween” trilogy and “Exorcist” reboot. With his latest project, “Nutcrackers,” Green is ready to change course once again and try his hand at family filmmaking.

The film, which is written by Leland Douglas, stars Ben Stiller as a work-obsessed man who finds new purpose in life when he becomes caregiver for his four orphaned nephews who live on a farm. It’s a classic holiday set-up that allowed Green to flex many of the different creative muscles he’s honed over the corse of his eclectic career.

“In a lot of ways it’s taking — and this is intentional, too — elements of all of my movie experiences and putting it into one curated movie,” Green...

Ben Stiller is in over his head when he ventures to a rural town to care for his recently orphaned nephews in the trailer for the Hulu holiday movie Nutcrackers.

Director David Gordon Green’s feature is set to debut on the streaming platform on Nov. 29 after premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival. Linda Cardellini, Edi Patterson, Tim Heidecker and Toby Huss round out the cast, alongside child actors and real-life brothers Homer, Ulysses, Atlas and Arlo Janson.

Nutcrackers centers on career-obsessed Mike (Stiller), who arrives three weeks before Christmas to serve as the temporary caregiver for his four unruly nephews until they can get set up with a foster home.

“I’m here now to look after you, get you guys hooked up with a family,” Stiller explains to the boys in the footage. Later, an exasperated Stiller implores the rambunctious youngsters, “Act like normal children, Ok? I...

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Hulu is ready with an entertainment-packed November this year. The upcoming month will see the return of some popular K-drama shows The Fiery Priest and also new original movies like Nutcrackers. Just like every month, Hulu is ready to overload you with great content. So, we’re here to tell you about the 10 new movies and TV shows coming to Hulu in November 2024.

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Gangnam B-Side is an action mystery crime thriller drama series directed by Park Noo Ri from a screenplay by Jo Won Gyu. The Disney+ series is set in Gangnam, Seoul and it revolves around the disappearance of a young woman who had information about a series of disappearances. Now, a detective, an outlaw, and a Prosecutor all try to find her for their own reasons. Gangnam B-Side stars Jo Woo-jin, Ji Chang-wook,...

Ben Stiller’s comedy “Nutcrackers” has been acquired by Hulu and will stream exclusively on the service in the U.S. starting Nov. 29.

The streamer acquired the worldwide rights to the film, which is directed by David Gordon Green. Green’s lengthy credits as a director include the “Halloween” franchise, “Pineapple Express,” “The Exorcist: Believer,” “Vice Principals” and “The Righteous Gemstones.”

“‘Nutcrackers’ is a heartfelt comedy which follows strait-laced and work-obsessed Mike (Stiller) as he is suddenly thrust into being a caregiver for his rambunctious, orphaned nephews,” the film’s logline teases.

In addition to Stiller, the cast also includes Linda Cardellini, Edi Patterson (“The Righteous Gemstones”), Tim Heidecker (“Us”), and Toby Huss (“Dickinson”). Stiller’s nephews will be played by newcomers and real-life siblings Homer, Ulysses, Atlas and Arlo Janson. “Nutcrackers” was filmed on the Janson family farm in Ohio as well as at their dance studio. Green, a family friend of their mother,...

Ben Stiller is one of the most defining names in the comedy genre, but he has spent his last few years directing and producing other films. After a serious acting break, the actor is back in the comedy genre with a new film.

Per Deadline, his latest film will be available on streaming soon. Nutcrackers premiered during last month's Toronto International Film Festival and will head to Hulu on Nov. 29, 2024, just in time for Christmas. The family comedy movie will also head to Disney+ for international audiences on the same date.

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Ben Stiller will also appear in the pickleball comedy film that's being developed by his production company.

Following its world premiere at TIFF, Hulu reportedly splashed eight figures for the rights to stream the movie. Starring Ben Stiller in his first role in seven years, the movie also includes Linda Cardellini,...

Hulu has confirmed its worldwide deal on TIFF opener Nutcrackers and will debut the feelgood holiday film starring Ben Stiller on November 29.

The film will roll out on Disney+ internationally, although dates were unavailable at time of writing.

David Gordon Green directed the film about a strait-laced workaholic who is thrust into becoming a caregiver for his rambunctious, orphaned nephews.

Rivulet Films fully financed the production and Rob Paris and Mike Witherill serve as producers alongside Rough House’s Nate Meyer.

Rough House also developed the script with writer Leland Douglas. The cast includes Linda Cardellini, Edi Patterson, Tim Heidecker,...

Hulu has confirmed its worldwide deal on TIFF opener Nutcrackers and will debut the feelgood holiday film starring Ben Stiller on November 29.

The film will roll out on Disney+ internationally, although dates were unavailable at time of writing.

David Gordon Green directed the film about a strait-laced workaholic who is thrust into becoming a caregiver for his rambunctious, orphaned nephews.

Rivulet Films fully financed the production and Rob Paris and Mike Witherill serve as producers alongside Rough House’s Nate Meyer.

Rough House also developed the script with writer Leland Douglas. The cast includes Linda Cardellini, Edi Patterson, Tim Heidecker,...

Hulu on Thursday confirmed Deadline’s scoop during last month’s Toronto Film Festival that it has acquired Nutcrackers, the TIFF opening-night family holiday comedy from David Gordon Green that stars Ben Stiller. It has also set a November 29, 2024 release date on Hulu, with the pic also set to stream internationally on Disney+.

The reported eight-figure deal marked the first major sale at the festival, where it got a warm reception from audiences at its world premiere screening. It repped Stiller’s first starring role in a feature film in seven years.

Stiller plays a strait-laced and work-obsessed city slicker who is thrust into being a caregiver for his rambunctious, orphaned nephews on their family farm. Linda Cardellini, Edi Patterson, Tim Heidecker and Toby Huss also star, as do newcomers and real-life siblings Homer, Ulysses, Atlas and Arlo Janson as the nephews.

Deadline Related Video:

The film was shot on the brothers’ Ohio farm.

Exclusive: Leland Douglas, the screenwriter behind the David Gordon Green comedy Nutcrackers, has signed with Thruline Entertainment for management.

Marking Ben Stiller’s first star vehicle in a few years, Nutcrackers has him playing the work-obsessed Mike, who must reluctantly travel to rural Ohio to look after his four rambunctious nephews after their parents die in a car accident. What begins as a three-day trip to find foster care turns into weeks of farm-life mayhem – and the realization that he doesn’t need to find them a home, they’ve found one for him.

The film is coming off of its premiere as the opening film of the Toronto Film Festival, where it sold to Hulu for eight figures, in the first splashy deal of the fest. Also starring Linda Cardellini, Edi Patterson, Tim Heidecker and Toby Hussles, pic is produced by Rivulet’s Rob Paris and Mike Witherill, and Rough House’s Nate Meyer.

“Nutcrackers” has found its home.

The Ben Stiller-led comedy from director David Gordon Green, which charmed audiences at the Toronto International Film Festival (where it was the opening night event), has been picked up by Hulu, TheWrap has confirmed. Acquired in an eight-figure deal, Hulu plans to release the movie this Christmas.

The movie also stars Linda Cardellini, Edi Patterson, Tim Heidecker and Toby Hussles, along with real-life siblings Homer, Ulysses, Atlas and Arlo Janson. The brothers play siblings that Stiller’s character is forced to take care of after his sister dies in a car accident.

Rivulet’s Rob Paris and Mike Witherill, and Rough House’s Nate Meyer are producers. Leland Douglas wrote the script. UTA Independent Film Group reps WW rights on the film. Rivulet Films fully financed, and Rough House developed it with Douglas.

This is Stiller’s first leading role since 2017’s “The Meyerowitz Stories...

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After taking a hiatus from acting, Ben Stiller returns to the big screen for Nutcrackers, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 5. The comedy follows a "hotshot Chicago real estate developer" named Michael who continuously prioritizes work over family. However, when his sister and her husband are involved in a terrible accident, Michael finds himself responsible for four young boys and their Ohio farm.

The film is written by Leland Douglas, with David Gordon Green serving as the director. In addition to Stiller, Linda Cardellini (Dead to Me), Edi Patterson, Tim Heidecker, Toby Huss, Homer Janson, Ulysses Janson, Atlas Janson, and Arlo Janson make up the main cast. Nutcrackers acts as the Janson siblings' first project and was shot at their home rather than on a sound stage. The family expresses their disbelief over being a part of the movie,...

No doubt, the Janson brothers — Homer, Ulysses, Atlas and Arlo — are lovely, well-behaved kids in real life. Few would say the same about the undisciplined orphans these four boys play in director David Gordon Green’s odd-choice Toronto Film Festival opener, “Nutcrackers”: a near-feral wolfpack who depend on their uptight uncle, Michael Maxwell (Ben Stiller), to spare them the indignity of an orphanage after their parents die in a car accident.

A big-city, fancy-shoes sort of guy, Michael shows up at his late sister’s farmhouse driving a yellow Porsche and promptly steps in a fresh pile of dung. Christmas is right around the corner, and Michael has committed a few days to sorting out the estate — a task that includes trying to get the Kicklighter boys adopted. Then it’s back to Chicago, where a career-defining real estate deal is about to close.

“When I wake up tomorrow,...

The Toronto Film Festival kicked off its 2024 edition on a slightly different note Thursday, featuring a live-action holiday family comedy, Nutcrackers, starring Ben Stiller in his first toplining feature role in seven years.

The movie, directed by David Gordon Green and written by Leland Douglas, follows Stiller as a Chicago real estate exec who must oversee his four wild, rambunctious nephews on their Ohio farm after their parents tragically die.

Green said he took on the project because he had “taken on a dark run of movies” with the Halloween pics and last year’s The Exorcist: Believer.

Related: ‘Nutcrackers’ TIFF Red Carpet Premiere Photos: Ben Stiller & More

“We’re in a comedic drought,” said Green about big-screen comedies, which have been sidelined to streaming. By hopefully doing more of them, Green said he wants to “feed my intuition as an artist and what an audience has an appetite for.

Ben Stiller just got his comedy mojo back in the most unexpected of places.

Nutcrackers, the official opening-night film of the 2024 Toronto Film Festival, is not the kind of movie you expect to see at serious film festivals, which tend to go for darker or less obviously commercial fare. So it is a bit of a surprise to see TIFF launching with a purely entertaining and heartwarming family holiday movie that will make you laugh, cry and walk out feeling good. Nothing wrong with that.

This is the kind of movie Hollywood used to deliver all the time but has clearly forgotten how to make — until now. Among the inspirations for director David Gordon Green were The Bad News Bears, Six Pack, Uncle Buck and Overboard. You might expect John Hughes was back from the dead, along with this genre. I would go back even further to the ’50s and ’60s,...

David Gordon Green has never shied away from wearing his influences on his sleeve: There’s little question his recent trio of “Halloween” reboots were beholden to the original Michael Myers features (how couldn’t they be?) and his lighter features have always smacked of the classic comedies of his youth. For his latest film — and his first feature after that run of “Halloween” films and his one-shot of “The Exorcist” — the indie darling is again turning to some of the films that he built his taste on, the “Uncle Buck” and “Home Alone” types, the “Six Pack” joints, the kind of stuff we don’t get so much of anymore.

Billed as a “heartfelt comedy,” Green’s latest — “Nutcrackers,” which just opened this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, where it is looking for distribution — is somehow a classic Green offering and another swerve in a career built on them.

The Toronto Film Festival on Thursday returned post-strikes with Hollywood star wattage as Ben Stiller and director David Gordon Green gave a glittering lift-off for their opening night film Nutcrackers.

Gordon Green introduced Stiller to the crowd at Roy Thomson Hall in the Canadian city that looked primed for film fest fun with the opening night comedy. The Zoolander and Tropic of Thunder star then recalled making movies in Canada.

“When people will talk to me sometimes about the Night at the Museum movies, they’ll say, Wow, what’s it like to shoot in the Museum of Natural History? And I’ll say it was actually a warehouse in Vancouver,” Stiller recounted.

“I’ve made a bunch of movies in Canada, and it’s always been an amazing experience,” Stiller added. His comments followed Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau touting Canada as a foreign location destination for Hollywood. “Our...

The premiere of Nutcrackers starring Ben Stiller and Linda Cardellini kicked of the 2024 Toronto Film Festival Thursday night, with several other actors in attendance on the red carpet.

The film centers Stiller’s Mike, a no-nonsense workaholic who takes over caregiving for his orphaned nephews that challenge his straig-laced living style. Working to find them a new home after their parents die in a car accident, Mike is forced to adjust to farm life before he realizes he may find a home with his nephews. This marks Stiller’s first movie role in seven years following 2017’s The Meyerowitz Stories and Brad’s Status. In between those and Nutcrackers, Stiller has spent time directing and producing 2018’s miniseries Escape at Dannemora and Apple’s sci-fi thriller show Severance, which has a second season arriving in January 2025.

Co-head of Rivulet Films, the financial backer of the TIFF Opener Rob Paris described the...

Exclusive: One year ago in Toronto, with the dual writers’ and actors’ strikes still in full swing, Rivulet Films co-founders Rob Paris and Mike Witherill were in the throes of packaging a project with David Gordon Green attached to direct a WGA script. Unable to secure an interim agreement to get the go ahead, that project fell apart. But all was not lost because the next day, Green called Paris and had a non-wga script for him that he wanted to direct but they had to move fast because the director had a Q1 2024 commitment.

That project was a script from Green’s friend Leland Douglas called Nutcrackers about Mike, a straight-laced workaholic who has to travel to rural Ohio to care for his four nephews after their parents die in a car accident. After weeks of farm-life mayhem, Mike realizes he won’t have to find a new home...

Ben Stiller never intended to go so long without leading a movie. The fan-favorite actor recently opened up about taking a seven-year break (save for the odd cameo) from movies, revealing that it was never the plan.

While speaking with Variety about his new comedy Nutcrackers, Stiller admitted, "I never thought Id take this much time away from acting," promising his fans that "it wasnt intentional; it was just how things evolved." The actor explained that he got busy with Severance, the Apple TV+ series he executive produces and directs, which largely prevented him from taking on other jobs. However, when the 2023 Hollywood strikes happened, delaying production of Severance Season 2, Stiller found himself unexpectedly available, leading him to board Nutcrackers, which received a waiver from the unions to shoot given that it was made outside the studio system.

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Its been seven years since his last leading role, but Ben Stiller returns to acting in the upcoming comedy Nutcrackers. Directed by David Gordon Green (Halloween Ends), Nutcrackers follows a middle-aged workaholic who is forced to care for his four nephews after their parents die in a car accident. Stiller did not mean to take a break from starring in films the last few years, but Nutcrackers offered the perfect opportunity at just the right time.

In an interview with Variety, Ben Stiller discussed his return as a lead actor in Nutcrackers, revealing his absence in front of the screen was not on purpose. When the industry was facing strikes, Nutcrackers, a wholly independent film, was allowed to get permission slips from unions to commence production. Principal photography took place in rural Ohio, where Stiller's co-stars, four brothers named Homer, Ulysses, Arlo, and Atlas Janson, who are acting for the first time,...

Nutcrackers, David Gordon Green’s heartfelt comedy starring Ben Stiller, is set to open the 2024 Toronto Film Festival on Sept. 5.

The TIFF opener — marking Stiller’s first starring role in a movie since Mike White’s Brad’s Status and Noah Baumbach’s Netflix family drama The Meyerowitz Stories in 2017 — will have a world premiere at Roy Thomson Hall, which is filled with ordinary moviegoers (and not only industry people as in Cannes and Venice).

Written by Leland Douglas, Nutcrackers follows Mike (Stiller), a straight-laced workaholic who has to travel to rural Ohio to care for his four nephews after their parents die in a car accident. After weeks of farm-life mayhem, Mike realizes he won’t have to find a new home for the orphaned children. They found a new home for him.

Nutcrackers — with an ensemble cast that includes Linda Cardellini, Edi Patterson, Tim Heidecker and Toby Huss — is...

David Gordon Green, the filmmaker behind Universal’s Halloween trilogy and The Exorcist: Believer, is leaving horror behind to direct a family drama starring Ben Stiller about a man connecting with his unruly nephews after a tragic accident claims their parents’ lives. The feature-length project is a hard left turn at Albuquerque for Green, who’s spent most of his recent filmmaker career bringing Halloween’s Michael Myers and William Peter Blatty’s Exorcist back to the horror fold. Is Green leaving horror for good, or is Nutcrackers a breath of fresh air before he returns to the bloody and brutal genre?

On Wednesday, Rivulet Films, Rough House Pictures, and Red Hour Films announced that Linda Cardellini, Edi Patterson, Tim Heidecker, and Toby Huss have joined Ben Stiller in the film based on a script by Leland Douglas.

Nutcrackers follows the work-obsessed Mike (Ben Stiller), who must reluctantly travel to...

Linda Cardellini, Edi Patterson, Tim Heidecker and Toby Huss will star in David Gordon Green’s “Nutcrackers.” They join the previously announced Ben Stiller, who will play a work-obsessed man who travels to rural Ohio to look after his four nephews after their parents die in a car accident.

Heidecker will play a local deputy, Patterson has been cast as an orphan profiteer, Huss portrays an eccentric empty-nester millionaire and Cardellini takes on the role of a social worker who helps Stiller’s character on his journey to find a home for the boys. The film is based on a script by Leland Douglas and was developed by Rough House Pictures.

Rivulet Films’ Rob Paris and Mike Witherill, Red Hour Films’ Stiller and John Lesher, and Rough House Pictures’ Nate Meyer are producing. Rivulet fully financed the film, which recently wrapped production outside of Cincinnati.

Cardellini is currently in production...

Ben Stiller has made a move to appear in his first movie in six years by joining the cast of David Gordon Green’s ‘Nutcrackers.’

The feature centres around a workaholic named Mike (played by Stiller) who is forced to travel to rural Ohio to take care of his four energetic nephews after their parents die in a car accident. Initially, Mike intends to stay for only three days to find a foster home for his nephews. However, as he spends more time on the farm, he realizes that he doesn’t need to find them a new home because they have already found one with him. The ensuing weeks are filled with chaos and mayhem as Mike adjusts to his new role as a caregiver.

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The movie is written by Leland Douglas, who also wrote Call of the Wild,...

Ben Stiller returns in the upcoming film Nutcrackers after a six-year hiatus from starring in a lead role. Stiller will also serve as a producer on the project; David Gordon Green will direct. Nutcrackers is a dramedy following the story of a workaholic who must take care of his four nephews after their parents die in a car accident.

Ben Stiller is back where he belongs: in front of the camera. Certainly, Stiller’s career as a director includes a plethora of well-known, big-screen titles like The Cable Guy, Zoolander and Tropic Thunder, but there’s no denying Stiller’s charisma and on-screen presence when he is exercising the ole acting chops. And for the first time in six years, Stiller will play the leading role in the upcoming film titled Nutcrackers. Check out a brief synopsis of Stiller’s dramedy (per Deadline):

“Nutcrackers follows the work-obsessed Mike (Stiller...

With a six-year-long stint in horror recently culminating in one of the very worst films of the century, David Gordon Green’s recent creative stretch has left those who have appreciated his more character-driven work of George Washington, All the Real Girls, Snow Angels, Joe, and even Pineapple Express more than a bit disappointed (though his work on The Righteous Gemstones is certainly worth of praise). The director is now finally returning to his dramatic roots with a new film that’s already in production in Ohio.

Deadline reports Gordon Green is directing Ben Stiller in the actor’s first leading role since 2017’s Brad’s Status and The Meyerowitz Stories––serendipitously the same year as Gordon Green’s last non-horror feature, Stronger––in Nutcrackers. Scripted by Leland Douglas (Call of the Wild), see the synopsis below.

Nutcrackers follows the work-obsessed Mike (Stiller), who must reluctantly travel to rural Ohio to...

It’s been six years since Ben Stiller agreed to a lead role in a feature film, though that’s about to change. Ben Stiller is starring in the upcoming David Gordon Green-directed film Nutcrackers, a story about discovering a family. In addition to leading the film, Stiller will produce through his Red Hour Films studio. Production is underway in Ohio, where much of the story takes place. Rivulet’s Rob Paris and Mike Witherill also produce, with John Lesher for Red Hour and Rough House’s Nate Meyer.

Green directs Nutcrackers from a script by Leland Douglas with Road House developing. According to Deadline‘s exclusive report, the story focuses on “the work-obsessed Mike (Stiller), who must reluctantly travel to rural Ohio to look after his four rambunctious nephews after their parents die in a car accident. What begins as a three-day trip to find foster care turns...

Despite the seemingly Christmassy title, Nutcrackers does not appear to represent David Gordon Green aiming to make a new festive classic. What it does, however, represent is him luring Ben Stiller back to a lead role for the first time in several years for his new comedy drama.

Written by Leland Douglas, Nutcrackers follows the work-obsessed Mike (Stiller), who must reluctantly travel to rural Ohio to look after his four rambunctious nephews after their parents die in a car accident. What begins as a three-day trip to find foster care turns into weeks of farm-life mayhem — and the realization that he doesn’t need to find them a home, they’ve found one for him.

Green already has the film shooting in Ohio, which certainly means he's not rushing into making another Exorcist film after :a[Believer]{href='https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/the-exorcist-believer/' } (there remains a chance he'll...

Ben Stiller has found his first starring role in several years in David Gordon Green’s Nutcrackers. More details here:

Ben Stiller has signed on to star in David Gordon Green’s next project, titled Nutcrackers, as reported by Deadline. Stiller will also be producing the film through his production company, Red Hour Films.

Nutcrackers is currently in production in Ohio, but this is the first we’re hearing about it. Green has been busy rebooting the Halloween and The Exorcist franchises, the latter which will keep him busy until the release of The Exorcist: Deceiver, the sequel to this year’s The Exorcist: Believer, in 2025.

Stiller has recently been focusing on work behind the camera. The Zoolander actor executive produced and directed six of the nine episodes of the first season of Severance for AppleTV+ recently and also directed all episodes of Escape at Dannemora for Showtime. Stiller hasn...

Exclusive: Emmy winner Ben Stiller has taken on his first lead film role in six years in Nutcrackers, a new title from David Gordon Green that’s currently in production in Ohio.

In addition to starring, Stiller is producing the pic through his Red Hour Films banner. Other producers on the project include Rivulet’s Rob Paris and Mike Witherill, John Lesher for Red Hour, and Rough House’s Nate Meyer. Rivulet is fully financing the film, with UTA Independent repping North American rights.

News of Stiller’s new film project comes amid a period of some change at Red Hour, as EVP Richie Schwartz has departed the company after heading up development for a little less than two years. As of the last year and a half, Stiller has been joined in running Red Hour by former UTA partner and Paramount chief, Lesher, whose work overseeing film and TV...