Coming up with original material for a new movie is hard enough – coming up with one for Christmas is nearly impossible. What hasn’t Hollywood produced? A Christmas movie with Eddie Murphy who stars in the upcoming Candy Cane Lane.
At first, it sounds fairly generic: A man named Chris (naturally) attempts to win his neighborhood’s annual Christmas home decoration contest. The name alone sounds like a Hallmark Channel movie. (And yes, Hallmark did make a similar themed movie titled, Making Spirits Bright which debuted in 2021.) But Murphy wouldn’t go for something so simple and benign as all that, would he? (No offense Hallmark lovers.) No, he would not.
Apparently, Chris inadvertently makes a deal with the devil…um…a mischievous elf to better his chances of winning the contest. However, this little imp can’t be trusted and casts a spell that brings the 12 Days of Christmas to life. (The ten geese a-laying are swimming in the pool!) Of course, chaos ensues – not just in Chris’ homestead, but also the whole town. This of course leads Chris and his family to break the spell and save Christmas! That’s something new!
“I can’t wait for the world to see Candy Cane Lane,” says Director Reginald Hudlin who worked with Murphy on the film Boomerang. “I’ve wanted to make a Christmas movie my whole life, but I wanted to do something fresh and surprising. Eddie Murphy and this hilarious cast really bring the funny, it’s super Christmas-y, and it will hit you right in the feels.”
Okay, so it sounds silly, but also great – right? I mean, he voiced a waffle-loving donkey for crying out loud.
Starring beside Murphy is Tracee Ellis Ross who plays his wife Carol (why wouldn’t it be?) and Jillian Bell as Pepper the Elf. It also stars Thaddeus J. Mixson, Ken Marino, Nick Offerman, Robin Thede, Chris Redd, Genneya Walton, Madison Thomas, D.C. Young Fly, Riki Lindhome, Anjelah Johnson-Reyes, Lombardo Boyar, Danielle Pinnock and Timothy Simons.
Produced by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, the screenplay was written by Kelly Younger who was inspired by her own childhood living on her own Candy Cane Lane in El Segundo, CA.
Candy Cane Lane premieres exclusively on Prime Video on December 1, 2023. It is rated PG.
Main image: Amazon Studios
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