Arnold Schwarzenegger as Santa Claus? Sure, fine. The Christmas comedy, “The Man with the Bag,” about Santa losing his magic sack of endless gifts and getting a petty criminal to track it down, has our undivided attention for other reasons unrelated to the former Terminator, namely a cast full of comedy names and queer actors we root for. First of all, “Somebody Somewhere” MVP Murray Hill, a buoyant trans man with cheer to spare, is on board, as is “Only Murders in the Building” scene-stealer Michael Cyril Creighton. The not-queer-but-still-ours “30 Rock” queen Jane Krakowski is also involved, as is hot giant “Reacher” star Alan Ritchson (he’ll play the criminal helper). More comedy heavy hitters: Awkwafina, “SNL” vet Kyle Mooney, Ken Jeong, and Tony Award winner Roger Bart. A full bench of talent. Will Santa get the bag back in time to save Christmas? What do you think? We’ll be seeing this one for support staff.
Roll out the deep red carpet for Isabelle Huppert as “The Blood Countess”
All queer goths worth their blackened reputations know about 16th century Hungarian countess Elizabeth Bathory (it’s not all just “Nightmare Before Christmas” fandom out here). But was she queer, too? A serial killer with over 600 deaths to her name? A blood-bathing madwoman? A strong powerful aristocrat hounded by the patriarchy? All of the above? To sort it out, here comes “The Blood Countess” and Isabelle Huppert has been cast in the title role. From legendary lesbian German New Wave filmmaker Ulrike Ottinger, now 82 and still directing, the screenplay comes from Ottinger and Elfriede Jelinek (Nobel Prize-winning author of “The Piano Teacher,” which became a film also starring Huppert). In production now, early word suggests that there will also be a vampire theme involved. Why not? Bloodthirsty queens can look for it to splatter arthouse screens in the near future.
Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor gets “Lucky”
The category is Women Doing Crimes, and this installment comes from the production team led by Reese Witherspoon (who got a head start early in her career with the cult crime comedy “Freeway”). A fresh AppleTV+ limited series is in the works, based on Marissa Stapley’s novel “Lucky,” featured as part of Witherspoon’s book club, and starring co-exec producer Anya Taylor-Joy and queer Academy Award nominee Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor. The series, created by Jonathan Tropper (“Banshee,” another stylish, crime-heavy project) will focus on Taylor-Joy as a woman attempting to turn from a life of crime, only to find herself drawn back in. Meanwhile Ellis-Taylor will play the FBI agent tasked with hunting her down. We’re torn between not wanting any plot spoilers and hoping she gets away with everything. AppleTV+ will reveal all soon enough.
Harper Steele joins “The Good Daughter”
Trans comedy writer Harper Steele went in front of the camera for the first time last year with best pal Will Ferrell for the Netflix’s “Will & Harper,” a documentary that focused on a queer road trip across America. Now she’s doing it again, this time for her first acting role. “The Good Daughter,” a limited series based on the suspenseful crime novel from Karin Slaughter, is headed to Peacock. Starring Rose Byrne (“Bridesmaids”), Meghann Fahy (“The White Lotus”), Brendan Gleeson (Academy Award nominated for “The Banshees of Inisherin”), and Steele (in an unspecified role) it’s the story of two adult sisters (Byrne and Fahy), traumatized by a violent incident in their past, now having to relive the trouble when more violence enters their lives. The vague synopsis promises “twists” and “shocking revelations.” That’s enticement enough for us and we await the deluge of Peacock marketing.
Romeo San Vicente is the gift that keeps on giving
