Heartbreak, holidays, and a heartbroken dog? That’s the recipe for the upcoming holiday rom-com, ‘Merv,’ starring Charlie Cox and Zooey Deschanel! The trailer promises a heartwarming, and potentially hilarious, look at what happens when a breakup impacts more than just the former couple.
‘Merv,’ directed by Jessica Swale, is set to premiere globally on Prime Video on December 10th. The film also features Chris Redd, Patricia Heaton, and David Hunt, adding to the ensemble cast.
The story revolves around Russ (Cox) and Anna (Deschanel), whose split has left their beloved dog, Merv, feeling blue. To cheer him up, they embark on a holiday trip to Florida. But here’s where it gets controversial… or at least, amusing: the trailer hints at some beach-related disagreements between the exes.
As Deschanel’s character says, “He hates beaches,” to which Cox’s character retorts, “No, you hate beaches.”
The film is written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart, with Matthew Baer, Roma Downey, Kerri Hundley, and Kai Raka producing.
This role marks Deschanel’s return to the holiday movie scene since her iconic role in the 2003 Christmas classic, ‘Elf,’ alongside Will Ferrell.
Deschanel shared with People that she was drawn to the film’s concept: “I loved the story of a couple breaking up but sharing a dog — and then having to reunite to cure their dog’s melancholy. It just was such a funny concept.”
Cox mentioned that ‘Merv’ offered a different experience from his other roles, such as Daredevil in the MCU. He explained, “Tonally, this movie is unlike anything I’ve done before, so I relied on Zooey and Jess to guide me.” He also added, “I really tried to learn as much as I could from her and be as present as possible in the scenes.”
What do you think? Will ‘Merv’ be a holiday hit? Do you think the dog will bring them back together? Share your thoughts in the comments below!