Stan, Australia’s unrivalled home of original productions, today announced that production has commenced in Sydney for the Stan Original Film Nugget Is Dead: A Christmas Story, a comedy that will pull on heartstrings this festive season.
The film is the debut feature of writers Jenna Owen and Vic Zerbst, best known for their original sketch comedy work amassing over 90 million views online. Nugget Is Dead: A Christmas Story is an Easy Tiger and CBS Studiosproduction and will premiere on Stan later this year.
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.
Starring Vic Zerbst (The Feed), Jenna Owen (The Feed), Gia Carides (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), Damien Garvey (Rake) and Mandy McElhinney (Love Child), the Stan Original Film Nugget Is Dead: A Christmas Story, is a character-driven comedy about strained familial relationships and reconnecting at a time when everyone is forced to come together. The cast also includes Australian favourites, including Steve Rodgers (Stan Original Series Bump), Alec Snow (NCIS: Sydney), Tara Morice (Strictly Ballroom), Priscilla Doueihy (Lioness: Special Ops), Claude Jabbour (The Stan Original Series Eden), Ed Oxenbould (Stan Original Film Christmas Ransom), Diana McLean (North Shore),Lelong Hu (Strife), Tiriel Mora (The Castle), Alexei Toliopoulos (Heartbreak High) and Kerry Armstrong (Frayed).
Following the success of A Sunburnt Christmas, Christmas on the Farm, Christmas Ransom and Jones Family Christmas, the Stan Original Film Nugget Is Dead: A Christmas Story,will continue Stan’s tradition of providing Christmas films tailored to Australian family audiences.
Stan Chief Content Officer Cailah Scobie said: “Stan’s tradition of homegrown Christmas films continues with the Stan Original Film Nugget Is Dead: A Christmas Story. A film that celebrates a Christmas many Australians can relate to. Stan is delighted to be working with Jenna Owen and Vic Zerbst to bring this family comedy to life. Alongside Jones Family Christmas, Sunburnt Christmas, Christmas on the Farm and Christmas Ransom, Nugget Is Dead: A Christmas Story will find a place in the hearts of many Australians this festive season.”
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.”
Director Imogen 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.”
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.”
Producer Naomi Just said: “Nugget is Dead: A Christmas Story has everything that Australian audiences relish at Christmas time: comedy, chaotic families, endless food and summer, as well as one very special dog called Nugget.”
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.
