Holiday Musical Starring Will Ferrell, Ryan Reynolds, & Octavia Spencer Slated for November Premiere
By Jeffrey Harris on September 25, 2022 at 8:00 PM EDT
A brand-new, holiday-themed musical is coming to theaters and Apple TV+ just in time for the holiday season. It stars none other than Ryan Reynolds, Will Ferrell, and Academy Award-winner Octavia Spencer.
Apple TV+ this week announced that the new, star-studded musical, "Spirited," will receive a release in theaters and streaming via Apple TV+ in November.
'Spirited' Musical Stars Ryan Reynolds, Will Ferrell, And Octavia Spencer
The new film is a modern update of Charles Dickens' classic novella, "A Christmas Carol." It will first receive a theatrical release first on November 11 before a global launch on Apple TV+ on November 18.
The film is directed by Sean Anders from a script by Anders and John Morris. It also stars Patrick Page, Sunita Mani, Loren Woods, Joe Tippett, Marlow Barkley, and Jen Tullock. The musical features an original soundtrack and songs by Oscar-winning songwriters Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, who previously worked on "La La Land" and "Dear Evan Hansen."
https://twitter.com/AppleTVPlus/status/1573311242986569730
https://twitter.com/AppleTVPlus/status/1573311242986569730
Anders, Morris, Ferrell, and Reynolds are also producers on the project along with George Dewey, Jessica Elbaum, and David Koplan.
In the original Dickens story, the greedy and miserly Ebenezer Scrooge learns the true meaning of Christmas after being visited by four ghosts on Christmas Eve. Deadline reports that this will be a more comedic version with musical numbers.
No footage or trailer for the film are available for the film yet, but Apple did release some promotional artwork (see above). Star Reynolds also shared a photo album across his social media channels.
https://youtu.be/dXF3g8SBb2E
Apple Original Films Bringing More Movies To Theaters
The "Spirited" theatrical release is part of a previously announced initiative by Apple Original Films to bring its slate of films to theaters across the globe in 2022, along with Apple TV+. This included such films as 2022 Sundance Film Festival U.S. Dramatic Audience Award Winner "Cha Cha Real Smooth" and "The Greatest Beer Run Ever," starring Zac Efron and Russell Crowe.
Another Apple Original Films release planned for later this year is Antoine Fuqua ("Training Day") and Will Smith's ("King Richard") "Emancipation." Fuqua directs and Smith stars and produces the upcoming film about a man who escapes from slavery.
It looks like Apple is growing more ambitious with its content, including some major releases in theaters. However, in the case of "Spirited," it is a one-week exclusive theatrical window. A musical comedy inspired by "A Christmas Carol" starring Reynolds, Ferrell, and Spencer has the potential to be a ton of fun.
Meanwhile, Reynolds is also developing the third installment of his "Deadpool" film series. He is slated to re-team with his "Free Guy" and "The Adam Project" director, Shawn Levy, for "Deadpool 3." The film does not yet have an official release date.
While Reynolds' highly-anticipated "Deadpool 3" was not featured by Marvel Studios in July at San Diego Comic-Con 2022 or in September at the D23 Expo, Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige has confirmed that it's in the works, telling The Hollywood Reporter earlier this year, "It’s very fun to be in the world of the Ryan Reynolds show."
