Charlie Cox and Zooey Deschanel’s new rom-com, Merv, is giving heartbreak a whole new leash on life. The trailer for Amazon MGM Studios’ upcoming holiday film dropped, revealing that their breakup is hitting their dog harder than either of them expected.
The film, directed by Jessica Swale, premieres globally on Prime Video on December 10. It also stars Chris Redd, Patricia Heaton, and David Hunt, rounding out what looks like a warm, chaotic, and deeply pet-centric Christmas lineup.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Merv follows Russ (Charlie Cox) and Anna (Zooey Deschanel), a couple forced to reunite after realizing their split has emotionally wrecked their dog, Merv. In a desperate bid to lift his spirits, they head to Florida for the holidays — a plan that goes south immediately. “He hates beaches,” Deschanel’s character insists, only for Cox to shoot back, “No, you hate beaches.”
Written by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart, and produced by Matthew Baer, Roma Downey, Kerri Hundley, and Kai Raka, Merv looks like the kind of heartwarming chaos that pairs perfectly with spiked eggnog and emotional damage. It’s also a return to form for Deschanel, who hasn’t starred in a holiday film since her Elf breakout alongside Will Ferrell in 2003.
“I loved the story of a couple breaking up but sharing a dog — and then having to reunite to cure their dog’s melancholy,” Deschanel told People. “It just was such a funny concept.”
Cox, meanwhile, said the project was a welcome departure from his more brooding screen time as Marvel’s Daredevil. “Tonally, this movie is unlike anything I’ve done before, so I relied on Zooey and Jess to guide me,” he said, adding that he tried to “be as present as possible in the scenes.”
Merv premieres December 10 on Prime Video — just in time for anyone trying to patch things up with their ex, their dog, or both.
Tags: Merv, Charlie Cox, Zooey Deschanel, Amazon Prime Video, Romantic Comedy, Christmas Movies, Holiday Rom-Com, Elf, Daredevil, Jessica Swale
