Olivia Wilde is returning to comedy with a holiday-themed film, as Universal Pictures has greenlit her next directorial project Naughty, starring Jennifer Aniston and Peter Dinklage, writes Deadline.
The studio has scheduled the Christmas comedy for a theatrical release on 5 November 2027.
LuckyChap will produce the film alongside Wilde and screenwriter Jimmy Warden.
Naughty follows Mallory, played by Aniston, who searches for Santa Claus, portrayed by Dinklage, in a desperate attempt to regain custody of her son from her manipulative ex-husband.
She hopes Santa can appear as a witness during her divorce hearing and help her case.
The film marks another comedy project for Wilde after her latest directorial effort The Invite, which received strong reviews and became one of the most talked-about films of the year.
The movie reinvented the dinner party comedy genre and earned a major response during its release.
Warden wrote the screenplay for Naughty based on his original script, which Universal acquired in 2023 with Wilde attached to direct.
Although Wilde chose to make The Invite first, she had already envisioned Aniston and Dinklage for the lead roles.
Following the success of The Invite, Universal moved quickly to secure the project and align the schedules of its two stars before approving the production.
The studio’s development team, including Sara Scott and Jacqueline Garell, will oversee the film.
Naughty will be produced by LuckyChap, Wilde and Warden.
The Invite became one of the biggest acquisitions at this year’s Sundance Film Festival after A24 won a competitive bidding war for the film.
It has earned strong box office results, collecting $20 million domestically and $16 million internationally, with several European markets yet to release the film.
The movie currently holds a 97% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, while audience exit polls showed strong support for the theatrical experience.
Aniston, known for her Emmy-winning role as Rachel Green in Friends, has built a successful comedy career with films including We’re the Millers, The Break-Up and the Murder Mystery franchise.
She has also received critical acclaim for her role in Apple TV+’s The Morning Show.
Dinklage recently produced and starred in films including American Dreamer, The Thicket and Brothers through his production company Estuary Films.
He was also part of the SAG-nominated ensemble of Wicked and has upcoming projects including Idiots, Wicker and the second season of Alien: Earth.
