Judy Greer & Pete Holmes Team With ‘The Chosen’s Dallas Jenkins On ‘The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,’ Lionsgate Pic From Kingdom Story Company

Matt Grobar
·3 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

EXCLUSIVE: Judy Greer (White House Plumbers) and Pete Holmes (Crashing) have entered production in Winnipeg on The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, an inspirational comedy that The Chosen‘s Dallas Jenkins is helming for Lionsgate and Kingdom Story Company.

Co-starring in the pic, based on the international bestseller by Barbara Robinson, is Molly Belle Wright (Deep Water).

More from Deadline

The film centers on the Herdman kids, who are the absolute worst. They lie, they steal, they bully… and they’ve hijacked the town Christmas pageant. As the rowdy and raucous siblings force themselves into all of the lead roles, they drive the pageant’s director, Grace (Judy Greer), and other members of her family, including husband Bob (Holmes), up the wall. But through their misfit mischief, these unlikely messengers might turn out to be the ones to deliver the town’s sensational and moving portrayal of the true meaning of Christmas.

Script was adapted by Darin McDaniel & Platte Clark and Ryan Swanson and Jenkins. Producers on the pic slated for a 2024 holiday release include Kingdom Story Company’s Kevin Downes, Daryl Lefever, Andrew Erwin and Jon Erwin, along with Darin McDaniel and Chet Thomas. Jenkins is exec producing alongside Gerald R. Molen, Mark Kendell, and Tony Young.

Said Jenkins in a statement to Deadline, “I have been pursuing this project for 15 years, so to actually be on the set is a special moment. I’m especially grateful to be working with Judy and Pete, who are extraordinary talents and are already showing their mastery of the drama and the comedy. And the actors playing all the kids, including the Herdmans? I’ve been blown away.”

Thrilled to be a part of the project, Greer said that she’s felt “right at home among the Herdmans.” Added the actress of her sense of personal connection to the rowdy protagonists, “Before she married my father, my mother was a nun who got kicked out of the convent for her outrageous behavior – like owning a red bathing suit!”

“I love this story, and Dallas’ enthusiasm for it is infectious,” stated Holmes. “It’s hugely gratifying to be a part of a movie that I hope will become part of holiday celebrations for years to come.”

Most recently seen starring opposite Woody Harrelson and Justin Theroux in the HBO limited series White House Plumbers, Greer’s other recent TV credits include 20th/Hulu’s Reboot, Showtime’s The First Lady and NBC’s acclaimed true-crime series The Thing About Pam. On the feature side, she’s most recently been seen starring in titles like Halloween Kills and Uncle Frank. She just wrapped production on the indie dramedy The Book of Jobs, with Victoria Pedretti and Utkarsh Ambudkar, and will also soon be seen starring opposite Rory Culkin and Michael Shannon in the film Dead Guy.

An actor and comedian best known for fronting Crashing, an HBO comedy series based on his own life, Holmes released his fifth comedy special, I Am Not for Everyone, on Netflix in October. He can currently be seen in the streamer’s comedy Family Switch with Ed Helms and Jennifer Garner, and has also recently appeared on shows like Night Court (NBC) and How We Roll (CBS).

Best known for creating, writing, directing and exec producing the hugely popular faith-based series The Chosen, Jenkins’ past feature credits include the dramedy The Resurrection of Gavin Stone, family film What If… with Kevin Sorbo, and the Stephen Baldwin drama Midnight Clear.

Greer is repped by CAA, Artists First and Felker Toczek Suddleson; Holmes by WME, Independent Artists Media and Ziffren Brittenham; Wright by Industry Entertainment and Crimson Media; Jenkins by UTA and Ken Meyer & Associates; Clark by East West Literary; and Swanson by UTA.

Best of Deadline

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.