Amazon MGM Taps Bobby Farrelly to Direct Family Holiday Comedy

EXCLUSIVE: Before the release of his Paramount holiday comedy Dear Santa Clausstarring Jack Black, Bobby Farrelly found his next project in Sporkinfeestena “finding your roots” family holiday comedy loosely inspired by true events has arrived at Amazon MGM Studios.

Farrelly will work from a specification by Aaron and Will Eisenberg, which the studio recently acquired, with Cobra KaiProduced by Counterbalance Entertainment. Further plot details are under wraps.

Before his work in Dear Santa Clauswhich has yet to announce a release date, Farrelly directed the Special Olympics comedy-drama Championsa remake of the 2018 Spanish film from Focus Features starring Woody Harrelson and Kaitlin Olson. Along with his brother Peter, he is best known for iconic comedies such as Idiot and more idiot and There’s something about Maryalthough he has also worked on hit shows like Higher milk and Trailer Park Boystogether with the award-winning documentary The lost son of Havana. He is represented by Independent Artist Group, Anonymous Content and Lichter Grossman Nicols.

Previously, the Eisenbergs released the horror comedy Cursed Friendswhich premiered on Comedy Central in 2022, also working on Blumhouse Television’s horror anthology series, In the dark. Most recently releasing his college admissions satire, Large Envelopeslike a starred Audible Original Broad CityAbbi Jacobson, scribes are repped by Avalon Management and Myman Greenspan Fox.

Counterbalance Entertainment, led by writers/producers/directors Josh Heald, Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, produces Netflix’s Cobra Kaiwho reinvented The Karate Kid for a new generation. The Emmy-nominated series premiered the first batch of episodes from its sixth and final season in July and will return with another set on November 15.

Previously, the trio Counterbalance led Netflix’s action-comedy series Obliteratedwhich debuted at number one on the platform. The Las Vegas-set series marked a return to the comedy roots of Hard R, as Heald previously wrote the Hot Tub Time Machine franchise for MGM, and Hurwitz and Schlossberg were behind the popular Harold and Kumar film franchise as well as successful comedies Blockers and American Reunion. Counterbalance is represented by CAA and attorneys Howard Abramson, Adam Kaller and Duncan Hedges.