‘A Sudden Case Of Christmas’ Starring Danny DeVito & Andie MacDowell Acquired By Shout! Studios

EXCLUSIVE: Shout! Studios has snapped up North American rights to the holiday family comedy A Sudden Case of Christmas, starring Danny DeVito (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia) and Andie MacDowell (Four Weddings and a Funeral), from Notorious Pictures and Riverstone Pictures in association with WME Independent. The film will roll out across multiple entertainment platforms later this year.

As we were first to report, VMI Worldwide holds international sales rights and is currently presenting the film to buyers at Cannes.

Directed by Peter Chelsom (The Space Between Us), A Sudden Case of Christmas centers on Lawrence (DeVito), who runs a grand hotel in the mountains of Italy. Every winter, he hosts the extended family for Christmas — but this year, his daughter (Lucy DeVito) and her husband (Wilmer Valderrama) are bringing their 10-year-old, Claire (Antonella Rose), to visit in August.

The young couple comes with shocking news: They are divorcing and have tasked Lawrence with being the bearer of bad news to Claire. When Claire realizes her soon-to-be broken family won’t be returning in December, she insists on having one last Christmas with the entire family now in the middle of summer. Her other grandparents (MacDowell and José Zúñiga) are summoned while Claire, in collusion with her grandfather Lawrence, plans activities designed to reunite her parents and bring the whole family back together.

Produced by Guglielmo Marchetti and Stefano Bethlen of Notorious Pictures, and Nik Bower of Riverstone Pictures, the film also stars Adrian Dunbar (Line of Duty), José Zúñiga (Physical), Valeria Cavalli (Mario, Maria e Mario), Mario de la Rosa (Money Heist), Francesco Salvi (The Game Changer) and Denis Conway (Bodkin).

“A SUDDEN CASE OF CHRISTMAS emphasizes the importance of family bonds and takes you on a journey through the beautiful landscapes of Italy,” shared Melissa Boag, Executive Vice President of Family Entertainment at Shout! Studios. “We believe this film will resonate with audiences of all ages and backgrounds, and we are excited to share it with a broad audience.”

Stated Jordan Fields, Shout’s Senior Vice President of Acquisitions and Originals, “This stunningly photographed and charming film emphasizes that Christmas is more than one day a year; rather, it’s a generosity of spirit and connection to family and community that can (and should) happen anywhere and at any time.”

Added Marchetti, Chairman of Notorious Pictures, “We are immensely proud to announce that Shout! Studios will be distributing our film across North America. This partnership marks a significant milestone, and we are thrilled at the opportunity to bring our heartfelt creation to American audiences. We have poured our passion and dedication into this project, and we sincerely hope that it resonates deeply with viewers, inspiring both joy and reflection.”

Fields and Steven Katz, Shout’s Vice President of Business Affairs, negotiated the deal with WME Independent on behalf of the filmmakers.