Let’s not beat around the bush—2023 has been a pretty shitty year for a lot of folks. But without getting in the weeds politically, let’s focus on one of the film stories of the past year that shows how 2023 hasn’t been kind to a filmmaker who was seemingly on top of the world. Basically, let’s talk about David Gordon Green’s latest career move—making a family drama film with Ben Stiller, titled “Nutcrackers.”
According to Deadline, David Gordon Green is already currently in production on “Nutcrackers,” a new drama starring none other than Ben Stiller. Interestingly, it’s Stiller’s first major film role since 2017’s “The Meyerowitz Stories.” But perhaps the thing that is most intriguing is just how David Gordon Green is finally (some might say a little late) leaving the world of horror and focusing on a new genre of filmmaking.
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Remember back in 2018, when Green released his “Halloween” rebootquel? That film was a record-breaking success and kickstarted a new Michael Myers trilogy. Unfortunately, the final film, 2022’s “Halloween Ends” was polarizing, to say the least. Then came this year and the long-awaited release of “The Exorcist: Believer.” Much like 2018’s “Halloween,” ‘Believer’ was expected to launch a new trilogy of films with Green at the helm, continuing his hot streak. Unfortunately, the film earned scathing reviews and quickly flamed out at the box office, leading Blumhouse (and Green) to clearly take a step back and re-evaluate. All that to say, it’s not entirely shocking to see Green quickly switch gears and get a new (non-horror) film off the ground.
“Nutcrackers” is about as far away from horror as possible. The story follows a man (Stiller) who has to suddenly go help his four nephews after their parents pass away unexpectedly. And while there, he realizes that, instead of trying to find a new home for these children, that maybe he will take care of them himself. Cue tears.
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Though the premise seems very uninspired, it’ll be nice to see Green return to a style of filmmaking he was doing before “Halloween.” No, this doesn’t seem to be a raunchy comedy like his earlier work, but maybe “Nutcrackers” will be the palate cleanser that serves as a pivot point for the filmmaker’s career.
No release date has been announced for “Nutcrackers,” but if filming is currently happening, we can safely assume it’ll show up sometime in 2024.
