Robert Eggers is reportedly working on a retelling of A Christmas Carol.
It’s rumored that the director of the “Nosferatu” film is planning a fresh take on Charles Dickens’ renowned ghost tale, a project he’s working on in collaboration with Warner Bros.
As reported by Deadline, it is expected that Eggers will pen and helm the film, with veteran collaborator Willem Dafoe being considered for the role of Ebenezer Scrooge.
The filmmaker hasn’t started negotiations with Dafoe yet, but he’s penning the script with him in mind for the role.
Alongside his role as a producer, Eggers is joined by Chris and Elenor Columbus who will also produce, under their production company Maiden Voyage.
On Christmas Eve, we find ourselves with the curmudgeonly Ebenezer Scrooge, who is haunted by his deceased business partner Jacob Marley and the ghosts representing Christmas from times gone by, the present, and what’s yet to come.
Over time, many versions of the book have been made, and Alastair Sim’s portrayal of Scrooge in 1951 is often considered among the finest adaptations.
1970 marked the year when Albert Finney donned the titular character in Scrooge, while Alec Guinness played Marley. On the other hand, Michael Caine assumed the main role in the 1992 adaptation of A Muppet Christmas Carol.
Disneys portfolio features numerous adaptations such as the 1983 version of “Mickey’s Christmas Carol” and the 2009 film by Robert Zemeckis, which used performance capture technology and had Jim Carrey portraying Scrooge and the three spirits.
Previously, Eggers’ novels have been set in New England during the 1630s and 1890s (with “The Witch” and “The Lighthouse” respectively), the Viking age (“The Northman”), and Transylvania in the 1830s (“Nosferatu”).
Previously this year, he confessed that he struggles with the notion of needing to capture contemporary innovations like automobiles and smartphones on camera.
He expressed to Rotten Tomatoes: “The thought of capturing a car image leaves me feeling queasy, and the concept of photographing a cellphone is disheartening. In modern storytelling, one must capture images of cellphones – it’s simply a reflection of today’s reality – so I’m not fond of it.
The 10 Most Uncomfortable Cringe Comedies
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972)
The esteemed filmmaker Louis Buñuel, known for his surrealist and satirical approach, frequently incorporated biting social criticism targeted at the upper class into his work. One of his most successful comedies, titled “The Quiet Elegance of the Upper Class“, was inspired by a distressing dream shared by his producer Serge Silberman about forgetting an arranged dinner party until his famished friends appeared at his doorstep. The film portrays a group of French nobles who aim to dine with the ambassador of a fictional South American nation, but their repeated efforts to assemble for dinner and serve food are constantly foiled by factors such as empty restaurants, drug dealers, terrorists, potential affairs, and strange dreams.
The King of Comedy (1982)
In its most uncomfortable form, cringe comedy resonates strongly when it’s recognizable, and Martin Scorsese’s film, “The King of Comedy,” builds its outlandish storyline on a universally relatable situation: yearning for approval from someone who seems unattainably cool. Robert De Niro’s character, the grating comedian Rupert Pupkin, resorts to drastic measures to gain acceptance not only from his idolized late-night comic (eventually resorting to kidnapping and ransom for a spot on his show), but also from the world at large, seeking the admiration that he longs for. Who among us hasn’t felt the same way! Scorsese’s darkly amusing film explores what might transpire if the most irritating person you know actually went to such lengths to gain the recognition they believed they deserved, spouting cringe-worthy jokes all the while.
Waiting for Guffman (1996)
Amongst Christopher Guest’s mockumentaries, it is “Waiting for Guffman” that stands out as the most awkwardly humorous. This film takes place in the quaint town of Blaine, Missouri, where the residents are endeavoring to stage a musical, which the eccentric director, Corky St. Clair, considers worthy enough for off-off-off-off-Broadway. He then invites his producer friend Mort Guffman to witness it. Despite the performances of popular numbers like “My Bubba Made a Kishka” and “Stool Boom”, rehearsals are filled with mishaps, and at one point, Corky finds himself playing multiple roles, donning costume as a rugged frontiersman and a young boy in a small hat and shorts.
Meet the Parents (2000)
In “Meet the Parents,” the climactic twist unveils that one of the principal characters, Greg Focker, played by Ben Stiller, has a secret name: Gaylord. This movie doesn’t shy away from exploiting awkward situations for comedic effect. Despite this, it remains one of the outstanding comedies from the 2000s. The plot revolves around Greg’s attempts to gain the approval of his girlfriend’s stern father, a former CIA agent (Robert De Niro), who is less than impressed with Greg’s efforts at bonding. He consistently undermines Greg, driving them both crazy. However, they manage to resolve their issues in an airport showdown, involving a misplaced marijuana pipe and countless hours of home surveillance footage.
Borat (2006)
Regardless of whether you were a fan of “Da Ali G Show,” Borat, the eccentric Kazakhstani reporter character created by Sacha Baron Cohen, is undoubtedly familiar to many. The movie named after him sees Borat journeying to America with aspirations of creating a documentary about the “best country in the world.” Along the way, he becomes smitten with Pamela Anderson and vows to marry her following the death of his wife by a bear back home. While this serves as the film’s premise, it is primarily a side-splitting compilation of unscripted interactions between Borat and real Americans, who are left bewildered by the strange character and Cohen’s continuous portrayal. Some argue that Borat represents an unfair stereotype of Middle Easterners, but the movie can also be seen as a reflection of American jingoism and racism in the post-9/11 era.
Bridesmaids (2011)
Gatherings for bridesmaids are seldom the harmonious gatherings of female camaraderie that one might expect. Instead, they can frequently degenerate into bitter squabbles and petty rivalries as the participants strive to establish their positions in the bridal party, disguising their conflicts from the outside world with different degrees of effectiveness. For those who have observed this behavior, the movie “Bridesmaids” resonates deeply, exposing a reality about wedding events that is often left unspoken. Kristen Wiig perfectly captures the role of a maid of honor who inexplicably feels intense jealousy towards another woman’s friendship with her best friend and struggles to conceal it, resulting in numerous humorous meltdowns in front of large crowds as she battles to prevent her insecurities from ruining an entire wedding.
Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa (2013)
In the first feature film titled “Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa“, Steve Coogan’s character Alan Partridge, known for his tactless and self-centered radio personality, surprisingly finds himself as a hero. Traditionally portrayed as an idiot, bungler, and someone who overestimates his own importance and fame, Alan unwittingly becomes embroiled in a hostage situation at his local radio station due to one of his half-baked plans. When another DJ gets angry after Alan secretly tries to get him fired, he takes the station and its staff hostage. The police then recruit Alan as the hostage negotiator. Amidst the siege, Alan broadcasts the events on the radio, loses his pants while attempting to move through an open window, and is shot twice. Remarkably, Partridge manages to overcome the challenges.
Force Majeure (2014)
Force Majeure signaled the arrival of contemporary cringe comedy: it was darkly amusing, bordering on unfunny yet brimming with uproariously funny scenes depicting ordinary individuals buckling under the weight of adhering to strict societal expectations. During a ski trip in the French Alps, tension arises when a man flees during an avalanche scare, placing his own survival above that of his wife and children. His wife relentlessly teases him about this incident, even bringing it up to strangers, while he grapples with self-doubt, questioning his masculinity and his capacity to fulfill the role of a patriarch. Ruben Östlund’s incisive social critique shines brightest in this film, where a minor mistake escalates into an epic crisis.
The Lobster (2015)
Greek filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos shares some similarities with Swedish director Ruben Östlund in their approach to social critique, albeit with a somewhat more playful tone. This is evident in his masterpiece, “The Lobster“, which subtly explores gender norms and the rigors of societal agreements. Colin Farrell plays a recently single man residing in a hotel where he must find a new lover within 45 days or be turned into an animal of his choosing – in this case, a lobster. The film offers a bleak portrayal of the extreme measures people take to become attractive to others and imagines a world ruled by stringent social laws with severe penalties for transgressions.
Friendship (2024)
In the quirky comedy series “Friendship,” Tim Robinson’s eccentric humor shines particularly well. Instead of his typical barrage of nonsensical humor, he delivers an intensely relatable narrative about male isolation and bonding. Playing Craig, a socially awkward middle-aged man, Robinson forms an unlikely friendship with his cool, young neighbor Austin, portrayed by Paul Rudd. However, Craig’s anxiety causes him to blunder during a boys’ night, ruining everything. His attempts to regain Austin’s favor lead him on a tumultuous journey marked by gun theft, losing his wife in the city sewers, shouting profanities at colleagues during a crucial meeting, and a dramatic revelation of a shocking wig at a house party.
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2025-06-12 16:55