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Peter and Bobby Farrelly's Christmas comedy, Dear Santa, starring Jack Black, has finally arrived after a decade-long journey. Dear Santa follows the story of Liam (Robert Timothy Smith), a young boy with dyslexia who thinks that Santa Claus "is probably not real." Still, he decides to write Santa a letter, but a spelling error has dire results. Instead of addressing the envelope to the jolly bearded gift distributor, Liam writes "Satan," summoning Black's character, who begins pretending he is Santa. During a recent conversation with Variety, the brothers discussed where the idea for Dear Santa was born and why it took them ten years to get the movie "just right:"

"Pete Jones and Kevin Barnett, who we work with a lot, brought us the idea and they said, 'A kid's writing a letter to Santa, but he misspells it and instead writes it to Satan.' We're like, 'We'll buy that.

The Farrelly brothers have had a long career both collaborating and helming projects individually. They’re coming together again for the holidays with the new Paramount+ film “Dear Santa,” a naughty but sweet Christmas confection starring Jack Black as Satan, who is accidentally summoned by a boy named Liam (Robert Timothy Smith) who can’t spell when writing a letter to Kris Kringle.

Peter and Bobby Farrelly spoke with Variety about their favorite Christmas movies, the power of underdog stories, and which of their movies would be worth revisiting.

Where did the idea for “Dear Santa” come from?

Peter: Pete Jones and Kevin Barnett, who we work with a lot, brought us the idea and they said, “A kid’s writing a letter to Santa, but he misspells it and instead writes it to Satan.” We’re like, “We’ll buy that. Ok, let’s do it.” It was like...

Paramount has released the first trailer and poster for Dear Santa, which is a live-action adaptation of popular 2017 animated short Dear Satan. The movie marks the return of the directing/producing team of Bobby and Peter Farrelly, and stars Jack Black in the lead role.

Black, who worked with the brothers on Shallow Hal, plays the Devil, alongside a supporting cast consisting of Robert Timothy Smith, Keegan-Michael Key, Brianne Howey, Hayes MacArthur, Pj Byrne, Jaden Carson Baker, Kai Cech and Austin Post, aka Post Malone.

The story focuses on a young boy who writes his yearly note to Santa, but the "crappy speller" sends it to the man downstairs instead. Delighted to have a fan, a merry Mephistopheles pays the kid a visit and offers him three wishes... on the condition that he can collect his soul once he's used them up.

Though the project is based on Dear Satan,...

Jack Black stars in Paramount+’s first original Christmas film, Dear Santa, streaming on November 25, 2024. The trailer shows Black as Satan, not Santa, accidentally summoned by a kid who’s horrible at spelling.

Robert Timothy Smith stars as the kid who misspells Santa. The PG-13 holiday comedy also features Keegan-Michael Key (Wonka), Brianne Howey (Ginny & Georgia), Hayes MacArthur (Merry Happy Whatever), Post Malone, P.J. Byrne (The Boys), Jaden Carson Baker, and Kai Cech.

“Dear Santa is the story of a young boy (Smith) who mails his Christmas wish list to Santa with one crucial spelling error, resulting in a devilish Jack Black’s arrival to wreak havoc on the holidays,” reads Paramount+’s synopsis. “Dear Santa marks the return of the Farrelly Brothers, the hilarious minds behind Dumb & Dumber, Something About Mary, and more. With their latest collaboration, which joins their decades-spanning repertoire of wild comedy films, Christmas is going up in flames.

“Dear Santa” has been 15 years in the making for Bobby and Peter Farrelly.

During that time, the brothers parted ways for solo careers, with Peter Farrelly famously winning Best Picture for “Green Book.” Now, a decade after last working together on “Dumb and Dumber To” in 2014, the Farrelly Brothers are back together for a subversive new holiday film starring Jack Black.

Black plays Satan, who is summoned by a kid (Robert Timothy Smith) who accidentally sends his letter to Santa Claus to the underworld. Keegan-Michael Key, Brianne Howey, Post Malone, Hayes MacArthur, Jaden Carson Baker, and Kai Cech co-star.

Ricky Blitt (“Loudermilk”) co-wrote the script with Peter Farrelly; Bobby Farrelly directs. Last year, during an interview for his solo effort “Champions,” Bobby Farrelly told IndieWire, “It’s a much zanier comedy than this one, closer to what we did, I think, originally.”

“It’s a long-percolating movie, like all our movies,...

Add another new title to the list of holiday films to check out this winter.

After an extended wait, Paramount Pictures has unveiled the first trailer for their comedy Dear Santa, reteaming Jack Black with director Bobby Farrelly, announcing that the film will become available for streaming on Paramount+ and on digital November 25.

In Dear Santa, a young boy mails his Christmas wish list to Santa with one crucial spelling error. Thereafter, a devilish Jack Black arrives to wreak havoc on the holidays.

Ricky Blitt & Peter Farrelly wrote the script from their story conceived with Dan Ewen. The project reunites Black with the Farrelly brothers for the first time since the 20th Century Fox comedy Shallow Hal, co-starring Gwyneth Paltrow, back in 2001.

Robert Timothy Smith, Keegan-Michael Key, Brianne Howey, Hayes MacArthur, Post Malone, P.J. Byrne, Jaden Carson Baker, and Kai Cech round out the cast. Peter Farrelly, Bobby Farrelly, and...

The Farrelly brothers reunite with Jack Black after their 2001 film Shallow Hal in this new Christmas comedy that makes use of the popular joke misspelling of Santa. Paramount has just released the trailer for Dear Santa. The holiday film stars Jack Black, Robert Timothy Smith, Keegan-Michael Key, Brianne Howey, Hayes MacArthur, Post Malone, P.J. Byrne, Jaden Carson Baker and Kai Cech. While both the Farrellys are involved, only Bobby Farrelly directs the movie while Peter Farrelly writes the screenplay with Ricky Blitt.

The holly jolly comedy centers on Liam Turner (Robert Timothy Smith), a young boy who still believes in Santa Claus. Liam isn’t the best speller, and while writing his yearly note to Santa, he misspells the rotund elf’s name, addressing his wishes to Satan instead. Touched by the boy’s outreach, Satan (Jack Black) visits Liam, bringing the gift of devilish tricks, demonic shenanigans, and laughs to the spirited season.

Paramount+ today revealed the trailer for Dear Santa, the upcoming original holiday comedy from the Farrelly Brothers, which will premiere on the streaming service on November 25. The film has been rated PG-13 for some language and suggestive material.

The movie, which is the service’s first original Christmas film, will premiere exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S. and the following day in the UK and Australia. Additional Paramount+ international market premiere dates will be announced at a later time.

The movie will also be featured in the annual Paramount+ “‘Tis the Season for Streaming” holiday collection that curates a broad and popular lineup of beloved movies, seasonal episodes from hit original series, and festive specials for the whole household to enjoy. The film will also be available to buy on digital the same day.

Dear Santa is the story of a young boy (Robert Timothy Smith) who mails his...

We first heard that a live-action adaptation of popular 2017 animated short Dear Satan was in the works from the directing/producing team of Bobby and Peter Farrelly last year, and Paramount has now unveiled a first look at the Christmas-themed "horror" comedy via some promo stills and a brief teaser.

Jack Black, who worked with the brothers on Shallow Hal, stars as the Devil, alongside a supporting cast consisting of Robert Timothy Smith, Keegan-Michael Key, Brianne Howey, Hayes MacArthur, Pj Byrne, Jaden Carson Baker, Kai Cech and Austin Post, aka Post Malone.

The story focuses on a young boy who writes his yearly note to Santa, but mixes up the letters and sends it to the man downstairs instead. Delighted to have a fan, a merry Mephistopheles arrives on the kid's doorstep.

Though the project is based on Dear Satan, the studio decided to go with the more marketable and family-friendly title Dear Santa,...

Zac Efron has had a slew of popular projects both old and new, but there's one that's flown under the radar that you may have missed that's starting to make some streaming noise. The Greatest Beer Run Ever, the docudrama that sees a man leave New York in 1967 to bring beer to his friends fighting in the Vietnam War, is currently #9 on the top 10 most popular movies on Apple TV+. In addition to Efron, The Greatest Beer Run Ever also stars Russell Crowe, Bill Murray, Jack Picking, and Kyle Allen, and currently sits at a 43% critics score but a much higher 81% general audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie comes from director Peter Farrelly, who also penned the screenplay along with Brian Currie and Pete Jones, which is based on the novel by Chick Donohue and J.T. Molloy.

Chicago – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Dan Baker on Wbgr-fm on March 7th, 2024, reviewing “Ricky Stanicky,” featuring John Cena in a comedic dual role, directed by Pater Farrelly. Streaming on Prime Video.

Rating: 3.5/5.0

Cena portrays the title character, but not until a third into the film. Three buddies, Dean, Jt and Wes have used the name Ricky Stanicky their whole lives to either get out of trouble or as adults get out of responsibility. While playing hooky in Atlantic City, they meet the actor Rod (Cena), and to expand the lie they hire him to portray Ricky Stanicky for their families. Let the wackiness ensue.

”Ricky Stanicky” is currently streaming on Prime Video. Featuring Zac Efron, John Cena, Andrew Santino, Jermaine Fowler and William H. Macy. Screenplay by Peter Farrelly, Jeffrey Bushnell, Brian Jarvis, Jamie Lee Freeman, Pete Jones and Mike Cerrone. Directed by Peter Farrelly.

Plot: After decades of lying about a fake friend named Ricky Stanicky, who they use as a get-out-of-jail-free card, three buddies are caught in a lie and have to produce a real version of their imaginary friend to their families. They hired an Atlantic City low-life (John Cena) to pretend to be Stanicky, but he enjoys playing the part so much that he refuses to leave town.

Review: For those who don’t know, for the last fourteen years, Ricky Stanicky was a red-hot script floating around Hollywood, with people as varied as Jim Carrey, James Franco, and Joaquin Phoenix set to play the lead role. Having placed on The Black List, the script by Jeff Bushell, Jason Decker, and David Occhino was in limbo for quite a while before Peter Farrelly and his frequent collaborators Pete Jones and Mike Cerrone took a stab at it, meaning the film now...

Well, it took Peter Farrelly exactly two movies to go from winning Best Picture back to making broad comedies about dog boners; I guess some people never change. Of course, “Green Book” was only about two dog boners away from being as dumb — or dumber — than a Farrelly classic like “There’s Something About Mary” to begin with, but even so, the funniest thing about “Ricky Stanicky” might be how recently its director was holding an Oscar on the stage of the Dolby Theater.

Actually, no: The funniest thing about “Ricky Stanicky” is the sight of John Cena dressed as Alice Cooper and singing “Sploooooooge out. My. Penis” to the tune of “School’s Out” (for summer), which is one of the signature “jizz jams” his character performs at the semen-themed musical revue he launched after his dog-fucking show was canceled because “Atlantic City went all woke.”

Anyway, those are the two funny things about “Ricky Stanicky.

Peter Farrelly’s Ricky Stanicky concerns a trio of best friends who create an imaginary person to blame for their misdeeds. As the years go by, Dean (Zac Efron), Jt (Andrew Santino), and Wes (Jermaine Fowler) continue using “Ricky” as an excuse any time they want to skip, say, a family gathering or sneak out on a boys’ weekend. In such moments, they simply tell their significant others that Ricky really needs them right now.

That’s a solid enough setup for a film, a kind of coming-of-middle-age comedy in the vein of Jeff Tomsic’s Tag, where the characters’ commitment to a childhood tradition ends up jeopardizing their adult lives in the process. But where the antics of Tag’s characters effectively captured the stupid joy of acting like your younger self while hanging out with your oldest friends, Ricky Stanicky is stupid in a much less joyful way.

Dumb And Dumber’s Peter Farrelly’s latest film is Ricky Stanicky for Amazon Prime Video. Here’s the trailer and some details…

The Farrelly Brothers will forever be synonymous with slapstick, gross-out comedies like Dumb and Dumber and There’s Something About Mary, both of which are, gag for gag, among the funniest films of the 1990s.

Apart from belated sequel Dumb and Dumber To in 2014, the brothers have concentrated on solo projects. In recent years, Peter Farrelly has directed acclaimed 2018 film Green Book, while Bobby directed underrated 2023 comedy Champions.

Peter’s latest film is Ricky Stanicky, a comedy which sounds a bit like Drop Dead Fred or Ted. The synopsis reads as follows:

When three childhood best friends pull a prank gone wrong, they invent the imaginary Ricky Stanicky to get them out of trouble! Twenty years after creating this “friend,” Dean, Jt, and Wes still use the nonexistent...

John Cena is the best friend whom Zac Efron never had in the first trailer for Prime Video’s comedy Ricky Stanicky.

Peter Farrelly directed the Amazon MGM Studios feature that begins streaming March 7. The movie follows Dean (Efron) and two lifelong friends who invent an imaginary pal named Ricky Stanicky as someone to blame for a childhood prank gone wrong. The three buddies continue to attribute their mishaps over the years to the nonexistent friend until finally deciding to hire a struggling actor known as “Rock Hard” Rod (Cena) to portray Ricky when their partners want to meet him.

“Ricky Stanicky isn’t real,” Efron tells Cena, who appears to be taking the gig too far. This leads Cena to explain why he wants to continue playing the part: “My job sucked, I had no friends. But now I have all those things.”

Jermaine Fowler, Andrew Santino, Lex Scott Davis,...

John Cena (Peacemaker) stars as a failed actor who agrees to take on the most challenging (and freeing) role of his life in Prime Video’s Ricky Stanicky. The nearly three-minute trailer introduces a trio of best friends who’ve blamed everything wrong on their imaginary best friend. Enter Cena as that imaginary friend.

Zac Efron (The Iron Claw), Andrew Santino (Dave), and Jermaine Fowler (Sorry to Bother You) star as the BFFs. The cast also includes Lex Scott Davis, Anja Savcic, Jeff Ross, and William H. Macy.

“When three childhood best friends pull a prank gone wrong, they invent the imaginary Ricky Stanicky to get them out of trouble! Twenty years after creating this ‘friend,’ Dean, Jt, and Wes still use the nonexistent Ricky as a handy alibi for their immature behavior. When their spouses and partners get suspicious and demand to finally meet the fabled Mr. Stanicky, the...

Peter Farrelly made his name in Hollywood by directing raunchy comedies such as "Dumb and Dumber" and "There's Something About Mary" alongside his brother, Bobby Farrelly. Since going solo, however, Peter Farrelly has been making more serious fare such as the Oscar-winning "Green Book." But now, he's back with an R-rated comedy in the form of "Ricky Stanicky." With an A-list cast and a ridiculous premise, it looks like a throwback in every conceivable way. Check out the trailer above for yourself.

Here, Farrelly is re-teaming with Zac Efron, who worked with him on "The Greatest Beer Run Ever." While Efron is coming off of the most serious performance of his career in "The Iron Claw," this sees him going back to his comedic roots, having previously starred in films like "Neighbors" and "Dirty Grandpa." Meanwhile, John Cena is getting to flex his comedic chops as well as the titular character.

The comedy movie Ricky Stanicky follows friends who create an imaginary friend to cover up their misdeeds. The trailer for the movie has been released by Prime Video, showcasing the friends hiring a former celebrity to bring the imaginary friend to life, but things get complicated when they need to prove his existence. Ricky Stanicky was directed by Peter Farrelly and stars Zac Efron and John Cena.

The trailer for the new Zac Efron movie Ricky Stanicky has arrived. The movie, which was directed by Dumb and Dumber and There's Something About Mary's Peter Farrelly, is a new comedy set to premiere on Prime Video. The movie stars Zac Efron, Andrew Santino, and Jermaine Fowler as a group of friends who have invented the imaginary title character as an excuse to get away with hijinks, but when they need to prove his existence, they are forced to hire an...

What happens when a decades-old white lie starts snowballing out of control? Well, Zac Efron, Jermaine Fowler, Andrew Santino, and John Cena are all about to find out in Peter Farrelly’s new comedy film, Ricky Stanicky, which shared its first trailer today.

Set to premiere on Prime Video on March 7th, Ricky Stanicky tells the story of three longtime friends who have invented an imaginary character, named “Ricky Stanicky,” to strategically blame their misbehavior on. When their latest Stanicky antic doesn’t go as planned, though, their families begin to question what’s really going on. Hoping to quell any suspicions, the three come up with a solution: hire an actor to pretend to be Stanicky.

Landing on washed-up, X-rated, rock ‘n’ roll impersonator, Rock Hard Rod (Cena), as their Stanicky, the three’s plan seems to work at first. But as the uber-charismatic — albeit, brazen — Rock Hard Rod gets a new job,...

Everyone agrees that white lies can be harmless. Sometimes, we tell them to keep a person’s feelings from getting hurt or to prevent ourselves from getting into too much trouble. However, white lies are slippery, especially if you’ve been telling the same one for years. White lies can evolve to become one of the biggest mistakes you’ll ever make. In the end, it’s best not to tell them. In Peter Farrelly‘s Ricky Stanicky trailer, three friends invent a friend who conveniently pulls them away from their lives whenever they need a break from reality. Unfortunately, their lie is getting called out, and they need someone to become the person they’ve been lying about for years.

Amazon MGM Studios debuted the Ricky Stanicky trailer on Friday, a Rated-r laugh-out-loud comedy premiering globally on Prime Video on March 7, 2024. The upcoming comedy stars John Cena, Zac Effron,...

The Efron-assaince is still in full swing. Zac Efron continues his career comeback on the heels of his buzzy turn in critically acclaimed “The Iron Claw” by teaming up again with his “The Greatest Beer Run Ever” director Peter Farrelly. Yet this time, Efron and Farrelly are both returning to their comedy roots with the Prime Video feature “Ricky Stanicky.”

Farrelly directs from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jeff Bushell, Brian Jarvis, James Lee Freeman, Pete Jones, and Mike Cerrone. The film follows a trio of childhood best friends who long ago devised the perfect (and imaginary) scapegoat pal to blame all their wild adventures on. However, now that they are adults, they actually need to answer for their immaturity … by hiring a make-believe friend (John Cena) to fill that fake role.

The film’s official synopsis reads: “When three childhood best friends pull a prank gone wrong, they invent...

Humanitas, the organization that annually honors film and television writers whose work best explores the human condition, has revealed its 2023 winners.

Among the prizewinners is Craig Mazin, who scripted Season 1 The Last of Us episode “Long Long Time” that starred Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett. Mazin won in the Drama Teleplay category, beating out fellow semifinalists that included Peter Gould who was up for the series-finale episode of Better Call Saul.

Other Humanitas category winners in TV included Amy Sherman-Palladino for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Comedy Teleplay), and Tony Phelan & Joan Rater for the pilot of A Small Light in Limited Series.

On the movie side, winners included Tyler Perry for his Tyler Perry: A Jazzman’s Blues in the Drama Feature Film category, over Rebecca Lenkiewicz for She Said and Michael Reilly & Keith Beauchamp and Chinonye Chukwu for Till. Cooper Raiff won Comedy Feature Film for his indie Cha Cha Real Smooth,...

This year’s Humanitas Prizes for screenwriting, usually handed out at Beverly Hilton ceremony, were announced via the Los Angeles Times this year in solidarity with the unions on strike, including the Unite Here Local 11 hospitality workers. And on top of awarding shows like The Last of Us and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Humanitas, an organization founded in 1974, also honored the striking Writers Guild of America itself with its “Voice for Change” award. Past winners of that award have included Ava DuVernay and Kenya Barris.

Humanitas’ mission is to tell “stories that explore the human experience because we believe that the act of acknowledging our common humanity is transformational.” With that in mind, this year the organization’s winners include The Last of Us‘ Craig Mazin for the teleplay for the emotional and critically lauded episode “Long, Long Time” in the drama television category. In the comedy equivalent, Amy Sherman-Palladino...

Nearly eight years after it called wrap, “Project Greenlight” is back! Newly named “Project Greenlight: New Generation,” the documentary series will premiere on Max this Thursday, July 13, 2023. Now under the producing power and tutelage of multihyphenate Issa Rae (“Insecure”), audiences will get a look at the filmmaking process as first-time filmmakers get a chance to bring their dreams to feature-length reality. “Project Greenlight: New Generation” will debut its eight-episode Season 1 on July 13. You can watch Project Greenlight: Season 1 with a 7-Day Free Trial of Max.

How to Watch ‘Project Greenlight’ 2023 Reboot Premiere When: Thursday, July 13, 2023 Where: Max Stream: Watch with a 7-Day Free Trial of Max. 7-Day Free Trial$9.99+ / month Max via amazon.com

Get 20% Off Your Next Year of Max When Pre-Paid Annually

About ‘Project Greenlight’ 2023 Reboot Premiere

Now produced by “Insecure” creator/star Issa Rae, the reboot of “Project Greenlit” will offer a window into the filmmaking process...

There’s a lot that goes wrong in The Greatest Beer Run Ever. Writer/director Peter Farrelly (who penned the screenplay with Brian Currie and Pete Jones) ends up missing the mark and then some on finding a good emotional vein for its high-concept true story, which concerns John “Chickie” Donahue (Zac Efron) attempting to bring his buddies in the trenches of Vietnam some beer to lift their spirits. The film’s tone is all over the map and none of the switches between wacky comedy and brutal war drama fit. Visually, it’s all incredibly flat-looking, especially a comically fake-looking flashback to some New Year’s Eve shenanigans.

“Green Book” director Peter Farrelly returns after his film won the Oscar for Best Picture in 2019 for a new adventure: “The Greatest Beer Run Ever” starring Zac Efron and Russell Crowe. Farrelly recently sat down with TheWrap in its Toronto International Film Festival Studio with Shutterstock to talk about the true story at the heart of his upcoming film.

“Somebody sent me a 12-minute documentary that Andrew Muscato did about the greatest beer run ever, and I just couldn’t believe what I was looking at, that this guy actually went to Vietnam during the war, somehow found his way around the country and dropped off beers with people and happened to get there right before the Tet Offensive. I was like, ‘That’s unbelievable,’” he told TheWrap’s Brian Welk after the movie’s world premiere on Sept. 13.

Fans of Zac Efron, Russell Crowe and/or Farrelly may be...

There’s a fascinating true story behind The Greatest Beer Run Ever, the type of tale a man drinks out on for the rest of his life. Unfortunately, director Peter Farrelly turns it into the cinematic equivalent of a good brew gone skunked.

Zac Efron stars as John “Chickie” Donohue, a layabout and occasional Merchant Marine who takes up space in his parents’ apartment when he’s not at the corner bar with his buds. It’s the height of the Vietnam War, and Chickie’s watched as many of his buddies have gone overseas. He’s tired of the protests at home, which he feels dishonors their service, and when the bartender (Bill Murray) at his local watering hole says they all deserve a cold one, Chickie makes a drunken promise to deliver a duffel bag of Pabst Blue Ribbon.

It’s a story that might make for a delightful documentary,...

This week’s new film release may seem like more of a Summer escapist flick with an average Joe traveling across the globe and acting like the ole comic trope “the fish out of water”, That notion is somewhat re-enforced by the film’s star, who’s mostly known for musicals and comedies, and by the movie’s marketing team, who are ‘selling it” as a zany romp, Much as with Dog from earlier this year, don’t judge a flick by its cast or ads. That’s because the story’s protagonist is headed to Vietnam… in 1967, the definition of a “hot spot”. Now if this mix of whimsy and social/political upheaval in the “swingin’ 60s”, sounds a bit like the recent Best Picture Oscar winner The Green Book (which was set five or six years before this), well you’re pretty perceptive because this is from the...

Zac Efron in The Greatest Beer Run Ever Photo: Apple TV+ There is an early scene early in The Greatest Beer Run Ever showing a peace protest against the Vietnam War, supposedly taking place in New York City, that encapsulates everything that is wrong with this movie. It looks like...

Enter-to-win a pair of passes to an advance screening of The Greatest Beer Run Ever! The screening is Wednesday, September 28th at 7:00pm at the Emagine Royal Oak!

About The Film

The Greatest Beer Run Ever: To show support for his neighborhood friends serving in Vietnam, Chickie Donohue (Zac Efron) decides to do something totally outrageous: travel to the frontline by himself to bring the soldiers a little piece of home — their favorite can of American beer. However, what started as a well-meaning journey quickly turns into the adventure of a lifetime as Chickie confronts the reality of this controversial war and his reunions with his childhood buddies thrust him into the complexities and responsibilities of adulthood. Based on an incredible true story, The Greatest Beer Run Ever is a heartfelt coming-of-age tale about friendship, loyalty and sacrifice.

Hailing from Skydance Media screenplay is adapted by Farrelly, Brian Currie and Pete Jones,...

The sequel to a beloved British family film, a heavy metal re-release, an Apple title from TIFF and Abigail Disney’s takedown of the American Dream populate the specialty film weekend in a market that may have found sturdier footing ahead of awards season and amid a dearth of blockbuster fare.

“I think there’s a lot we should be celebrating,” said Kyle Greenburg, marketing and distribution chief of Utopia. Its release, with Abramorama, of the latter’s restored 2009 doc Anvil!: The Story of Anvil rocked a 16K gross, or 8K per screen, from two single-show premiere events ahead of a one-day run coming Tuesday on 200 screens including AMC and Regal theaters and top arthouses. It played Thursday night in LA at the Saban Theatre, with Anvil performing live alongside Scott Ian of Anthrax, followed by a Q&a moderated by Steve-o. Last week, Peter Dinklage hosted a screening...

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When filmmaker Peter Farrelly last attended the Toronto International Film Festival in 2018, his feel-good message movie Green Book would take home the festival’s People’s Choice award and go on to win three Oscars, including Best Picture.

It’s unlikely that lightning will be striking twice with his latest effort, The Greatest Beer Run Ever, which sees fit to address America’s involvement in the Vietnam War much in the same manner his previous film tackled the subject of race relations.

Inspired by the unlikely but true story of a working class New York Merchant Marine who boarded a ship bound for Saigon in 1967 with the sole intention of bringing his deployed buddies beer in order to lift their spirits, the new project, which arrives on Apple TV+ at the end of this month, admittedly holds some audience-pleasing potential. But while both the title and the set-up,...

Watching Peter Farrelly’s new film, The Greatest Beer Run Ever, and knowing little about it going in, I kept thinking this would be a totally absurd, beyond belief story if it isn’t one that really happened. By the end I saw it is indeed 100 true, proving life can sometimes be stranger than fiction. As such it turns out to be one of the more memorable, and certainly heartfelt movies this year, as well as a Vietnam War movie that couldn’t be further from The Deer Hunter, Platoon, and Apocalypse Now, but a character-driven drama that defies logic but makes you believe once again in the power of the human spirit. This is the rare Vietnam film seen from the Pov of a civilian, a key reason it works as well as it does.

This is Farrelly’s first film since winning Best Picture and Adapted Screenplay Oscars for 2018’s Green Book,...

Zac Efron stars as a New Yorker who volunteers to deliver beer to his buddies fighting in Vietnam in Apple Original Films’ The Greatest Beer Run Ever. If that description of Efron’s role sounds weird, consider the fact the film is based on an incredible true story. Peter Farrelly, Pete Jones, and Brian Currie adapted […]

The post ‘The Greatest Beer Run Ever’ Trailer: Zac Efron Delivers a Sudsy Taste of Home appeared first on ShowbizJunkies.

Apple Original Films has unveiled the trailer for the new Peter Farrelly directed, Zac Efron and Russell Crowe film, The Greatest Beer Run Ever, based on a true story.

To show support for his neighborhood friends serving in Vietnam, Chickie Donohue (Zac Efron) decides to do something totally outrageous: travel to the frontline by himself to bring the soldiers a little piece of home — their favorite can of American beer. However, what started as a well-meaning journey quickly turns into the adventure of a lifetime as Chickie confronts the reality of this controversial war and his reunions with his childhood buddies thrust him into the complexities and responsibilities of adulthood. Based on an incredible true story, The Greatest Beer Run Ever is a heartfelt coming-of-age tale about friendship, loyalty and sacrifice.

Hailing from Skydance Media screenplay is adapted by Farrelly, Brian Currie and Pete Jones, and is based on the...

Zac Efron is heading to Vietnam in the first trailer for “The Greatest Beer Run Ever.”

Apple TV+ dropped the trailer for its upcoming true-life war comedy starring Efron, Russell Crowe and Bill Murray. The film, which is based on a true story, follows Efron as John “Chickie” Donohue. Set in 1967, Donohue leaves New York to track down his army friends in Vietnam and share a few beers with them to show that they have support from the American people. Instead of a fun and light hearted trip, though, he is confronted with the horrors of war. Along the way, Donahue hitches a ride on a Merchant Marine ship, carries beer through the jungle and is mistaken for a CIA officer because of his civilian appearance.

Based on the New York Times bestseller “The Greatest Beer Run Ever: A Memoir of Friendship, Loyalty, and War” by Donohue and J.T. Molloy,...

Apple has unveiled the trailer for the new Peter Farrelly-directed, Zac Efron and Russell Crowe film, ‘The Greatest Beer Run Ever,’ based on a true story.

To show support for his neighbourhood friends serving in Vietnam, Chickie Donohue (Zac Efron) decides to do something totally outrageous: travel to the frontline by himself to bring the soldiers a little piece of home — their favourite can of American beer. However, what started as a well-meaning journey quickly turns into the adventure of a lifetime as Chickie confronts the reality of this controversial war and his reunions with his childhood buddies thrust him into the complexities and responsibilities of adulthood.

Hailing from Skydance Media screenplay is adapted by Farrelly, Brian Currie and Pete Jones, and is based on the book The Greatest Beer Run Ever: A Memoir of Friendship, Loyalty and War, by Joanna Molloy and John “Chickie” Donohue.

Zac Efron, Russell Crowe,...

Apple has just dropped the trailer for their TIFF-bound comedy/drama, The Greatest Beer Run Ever. Directed by Peter Farrelly and starring Zac Efron, Russell Crowe and Bill Murray, the movie is getting a limited theatrical release prior to its late September bow on Apple TV+. Here’s Apple’s official synopsis:

To show support for his neighborhood friends serving in Vietnam, Chickie Donohue (Zac Efron) decides to do something totally outrageous: travel to the frontline by himself to bring the soldiers a little piece of home — their favorite can of American beer. However, what started as a well-meaning journey quickly turns into the adventure of a lifetime as Chickie confronts the reality of this controversial war and his reunions with his childhood buddies thrust him into the complexities and responsibilities of adulthood. Based on an incredible true story, “The Greatest Beer Run Ever” is a heartfelt coming-of-age tale about friendship,...

Today Apple unveiled the trailer for the new Peter Farrelly directed, Zac Efron and Russell Crowe film, The Greatest Beer Run Ever, based on a true story.

Look for it on Apple TV+ on September 30, 2022.

To show support for his neighborhood friends serving in Vietnam, Chickie Donohue (Zac Efron) decides to do something totally outrageous: travel to the frontline by himself to bring the soldiers a little piece of home — their favorite can of American beer. However, what started as a well-meaning journey quickly turns into the adventure of a lifetime as Chickie confronts the reality of this controversial war and his reunions with his childhood buddies thrust him into the complexities and responsibilities of adulthood.

Based on an incredible true story, “The Greatest Beer Run Ever” is a heartfelt coming-of-age tale about friendship, loyalty and sacrifice.

Hailing from Skydance Media screenplay is adapted by Farrelly, Brian Currie and Pete Jones,...

After gaining fame for anarchic, hilariously dumb movies like the appropriately titled "Dumb and Dumber," and participating in the horrendously bad "Movie 43," Peter Farrelly shocked audiences everywhere when he made a film the Academy deemed Oscar-worthy and not just a racist dramedy.

But how do you follow "Green Book"? Why, with an absurdist war drama with a great cast, of course! "The Greatest Beer Run Ever" is, like its predecessor, based on a true story, and it stars Zac Efron's John "Chickie" Donohue. In 1967, Chickie dared travel to Vietnam in the middle of the war to deliver beers to the troops. Not all troops, mind you, but specifically the kids from his neighborhood, who are spread out across the country. Along the way he will probably learn a few lessons, and evade lots of bullets.

The film also stars Russell Crowe and Bill Murray. It is set to make its...

The first trailer for Peter Farrelly’s “The Greatest Beer Run Ever” proudly proclaims that the guy in the film played by Zac Efron “actually did this” as he sprints through an active war zone in Vietnam carrying a sack of cold brews and cheap American lagers.

“The Greatest Beer Run” ever is based on the true story of a man named Chickie Donohue, who felt burned by the protests at home over the Vietnam War and decided he wanted to show his support to his buddies and neighbors overseas by tracking each of them down in Vietnam and bringing them each a beer. And yes, you can tell he’s serious about that plan.

“The man’s stoned sober. That’s maybe his fifth beer, tops,” a bartender played by Bill Murray says in the trailer.

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Zac Efron is determined to bring his six-pack (of beer) to the frontlines of the Vietnam War.

The first trailer for the Apple Original Film “The Greatest Beer Run Ever” gives a glimpse at Efron as Chickie Donohue, a real-life hero who traveled to Vietnam during the war to bring soldiers their favorite American beer.

Per an official synopsis, however, what started as a well-meaning journey quickly turns into the adventure of a lifetime as Chickie confronts the reality of this controversial war and his reunions with his childhood buddies thrust him into the complexities and responsibilities of adulthood. The film is based on the 2020 book “The Greatest Beer Run Ever: A Memoir of Friendship, Loyalty and War” by Joanna Molloy and John “Chickie” Donohue.

Peter Farrelly (“Green Book”) directs the film and adapted the screenplay along with Brian Currie and Pete Jones.

Russell Crowe, Jake Picking, Will Ropp, Archie Renaux,...

To mark the release of Tosh on 6th June, we’ve been given 3 copies to give away on DVD.

This is the definitive portrait of John Toshack. Welsh, Liverpool and Swansea legend, and one of football’s most inspirational figures. Relive the unbelievable story of a man who, after leaving European champions Liverpool in 1978, took on struggling Swansea City and guided them on a miraculous journey from fourth, to the first division, in just four years. Discover how this passionate player and manager galvanised a side, and a city, ultimately leading him to a hugely successful managerial career across Europe and latterly with the Welsh national team.

This must-see documentary features exclusive interviews from Toshack himself, and players including Alan Curtis, Wyndham Evans, Jeremy Charles, Nigel Stevenson, David Giles, Ian Callaghan, Leighton James, Danny Bartley, Neil Robinson, Dzemal Hadziabdic, and close relatives of club heroes Robbie James and John Charles.

John Toshack leads Swansea City from the Fourth Division to the First in just three years in a nostalgic documentary tribute to football’s simpler times

Despite the title, this isn’t exactly a profile of John Toshack, Liverpool’s towering centre forward of 70s vintage. It’s in fact a likable, nostalgia-fuelled recap of his first, and arguably most improbable, achievement after he became a manager: getting Swansea City from the Fourth Division to the First in double-quick time between 1978 and 1981.

Toshack, now talking in avuncular fashion from retirement in Mallorca, went on to bigger things with Real Madrid and the Welsh national side, but his vertigo-inducing ride up the Football League is still fondly remembered four decades later – not least by the grizzled collection of Toshack’s former players who talk about it like it happened only a few weeks ago, and can’t really believe it. Director...

Exclusive: Ruby Ashbourne Serkis (The Serpent), Matt Cook (Man with a Plan), Omari K. Chancellor (The One?) and Will Hochman (Blue Bloods) have been cast in The Greatest Beer Run Ever, Peter Farrelly’s film for Apple and Skydance Media.

They’ll appear in the Apple Original alongside previously announced cast members Zac Efron, Russell Crowe, Jake Picking, Will Ropp, Archie Renaux and Kyle Allen.

Pic is based on Joanna Molloy and John “Chickie” Donohue’s book The Greatest Beer Run Ever: A Memoir of Friendship, Loyalty and War, which became a New York Times bestseller upon its publication last year. It tells the true story of Donohue, who left New York for Vietnam in 1967 to track down and share a few beers with his childhood friends while they were serving in combat.

Serkis will play Christine, the younger sister of Efron’s Chickie, who opposes his views on the Vietnam War,...

Russell Crowe and Zac Efron have arrived in Thailand for the production of buddy movie “The Greatest Beer Run Ever.” The film is directed by Peter Farrelly whose 2018 film “Green Book” won three Oscars in 2019, including best picture.

The film is an adaptation of the book “The Greatest Beer Run Ever: A True Story of Friendship Stronger Than War,” written by Joanna Molloy and John “Chickie” Donohue. It is based on the true story of Donohue, who left New York in 1967 to track down and share a few beers with his childhood buddies in the army while they were fighting in Vietnam.

As with Spike Lee’s own wartime buddy movie “Da 5 Bloods,” the production is using Thailand as a stand-in for Vietnam.

Skydance Media is producing the film for Apple TV Plus. Brian Currie and Pete Jones co-wrote the script with Farrelly. David Ellison, Dana Goldberg, Don Granger...

Exclusive: Jake Picking (Top Gun: Maverick), Will Ropp (The Way Back), Archie Renaux (Shadow and Bone) and Kyle Allen (West Side Story) are the latest additions to The Greatest Beer Run Ever, the Apple Original Film from director Peter Farrelly and Skydance Media.

The four actors will star alongside previously announced cast members Zac Efron and Russell Crowe.

Pic is based on Joanna Molloy and John “Chickie” Donohue’s book The Greatest Beer Run Ever: A Memoir of Friendship, Loyalty and War, which became a New York Times bestseller upon its publication last year. It tells the true story of Donohue, who left New York for Vietnam in 1967 to track down and share a few beers with his childhood friends while they were serving in combat.

Picking, Allen and Renaux will play Rick Duggan, Bobby Pappas and Tommy Collins, the three childhood friends of Efron’s Chickie who are serving in the Army,...

Zac Efron and Russell Crowe are currently in negotiations to star in ‘Green Book’ filmmaker Peter Farrelly’s ‘The Greatest Beer Run Ever’ at Apple Studios.

The casting bods on the project are also eyeing Bill Murray for a supporting role.

The film tells the story of Chick Donahue, who left New York in 1967 to bring beer to his childhood buddies in the Army — while they are fighting in Vietnam. Donohue took a good idea to the extreme, hitching a ride on a Merchant Marine ship, then carrying the beer through the jungle as he tried to track down his three friends. Dressed in shorts and Hawaiian shirts, he was mistaken for CIA, which made his effort a bit easier.

Efron would take on the lead role of Donahue.

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Developed by Farrelly,...

Apple is in early discussions to pick up and finance the next film from “Green Book” director Peter Farrelly, “The Greatest Beer Run Ever,” with Zac Efron and Russell Crowe in talks to star, an individual with knowledge told TheWrap.

Bill Murray has also expressed interest to star in the film in a supporting role but is not yet attached.

The project is based on the book “The Greatest Beer Run Ever: A True Story of Friendship Stronger Than War” by J.T. Malloy and John “Chick” Donohue. It’s a dramedy based on the true story of John “Chickie” Donohue, who in 1967 left New York to track down and share a few beers with his childhood buddies in the Army … while they were fighting in Vietnam. The book and source material became a New York Times bestseller when it was published in 2020.

Farrelly adapted the screenplay along with Brian...