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George Michael-Inspired ‘Last Christmas’ From Paul Feig & Emma Thompson Tunes Up At CinemaCon

Look out Love, Actually, because there’s a new Christmas romantic comedy coming down the pike: Universal’s Last Christmas. Paul Feig was looking to do a holiday movie like It’s a Wonderful Life, and Emma Thompson was asked to write a movie inspired by the George Michael hit “Last Christmas.”

When she was pitched the idea (not from Feig), her response was, “No, not really, I don’t like the song.” Then she thought of the lyrics “Last Christmas/I gave you my heart/…” and she said, “I think I can think of something,” the Oscar-winning scribe said onstage Wednesday at CinemaCon. She pitched the idea to Feig and he took to it.

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In the trailer shown in the room Wednesday, Emilia Clarke plays a slacker who works in a Christmas shop which she so hates. She meets her opposite in the suave Henry Golding, and fireworks happen in what the Crazy Rich Asians actor calls “a love letter to London.” The film shot from December to February, “the longest Christmas,” said Golding.

Michael hits are wall to wall in the trailer with scenes that will make you swoon if you have a heart, i.e., Golding and Clarke ice-skating and the latter crossing her rendition of the hit song “Last Christmas.” Uni does these jukebox movies right, i.e. Mamma Mia, so here they go again.

Last Christmas opens on November 15.

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