EXCLUSIVE: Cameron Diaz and Stephen Merchant are starring in an upcoming Amazon MGM Studios romantic comedy movie that Merchant will direct off a screenplay he co-wrote with John Butler.
The as-yet-untitled film follows a workaholic Brit (Merchant) employed at an upscale New York hotel who needs a wife for appearances. He strikes a deal with a struggling stand-up comic (Diaz) who is desperate for health insurance. Their fake marriage starts as a transaction but ends in an unexpected romance.
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Producers include Lee Eisenberg, Merchant and Point Grey Pictures’ Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver and Josh Fagen. Natalie Sandy will EP.
Butler wrote and directed Handsome Devil starring Andrew Scott, Papi Chulo starring Matt Bomer and most recently the six-part series These Sacred Vows starring Jason O’Mara. He also wrote for and directed The Outlaws with Merchant. Butler is represented by Jessica Sykes at Independent Talent Group.
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Point Grey and Amazon MGM previously teamed on the hit series franchise The Boys, Gen V and Invincible.
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Eisenberg and Amazon MGM Studios collaborated on the hit mockumentary series Jury Duty, which premiered in April 2023 and was nominated for four Emmys. A WGA and Peabody winner and eight-time Emmy nominee, Eisenberg worked on the NBC comedy series The Office for five seasons, rising to co-head writer. Following this run, he executive produced Smilf and Hello Ladies. On the movie side, he wrote and produced the Diaz comedy Bad Teacher and made his feature directorial debut with his original screenplay Good Boys, one of the highest-grossing R-rated comedies of the past decade. Eisenberg also created TV’s Little America, WeCrashed and Lessons in Chemistry.
Diaz, the star of The Mask, My Best Friend’s Wedding, There’s Something About Mary, Charlie’s Angels, Shrek and Back in Action, has been nominated for numerous Golden Globe, SAG and BAFTA awards for her performances in such movies as Being John Malkovich, Vanilla Sky and Gangs of New York. Next up, she stars opposite Keanu Reeves and Bomer in the dark comedy Outcome, directed and co-written by Jonah Hill for Apple Original Films; Netflix’s Bad Day; and DreamWorks Animation’s Shrek 5, which will be released in 2027. The actress is repped by LBI Entertainment and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.
Merchant is an Emmy-, BAFTA- and Golden Globe-winning director, actor, comedian, writer and producer whose credits span film and television. He created, wrote, directed and starred in The Outlaws (BBC/Amazon) and recently appeared in Netflix’s Goodbye June and AMC’s The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon. Merchant wrote and directed MGM/Film4’s Fighting With My Family starring Dwayne Johnson and Florence Pugh and co-created and starred in HBO’s Hello Ladies. His acting credits include Jojo Rabbit, Logan, The Girl in the Spider’s Web and Four Lives. He also created, wrote and directed The Office, Extras and Life’s Too Short with Ricky Gervais.
Merchant is represented by United Agents, WME and Davis Law Group
Is it going to be released theatrically? I’d love to see Cameron Diaz back on a silver screen.
Odd match up but I dig it. We need more rom coms for older people! And Stephen merchant is a great comedic actor.