Miramax is in early development of a television series based on the 2023 holiday film The Holdovers, which was shot in the Greater New Bedford area. The studio aims to involve director Alexander Payne and explore the movie's heartwarming characters further. No plot details or release date have been announced yet.
The Holdovers, a 2023 Christmas film directed by Alexander Payne, earned critical acclaim and several Academy Award nominations after its release. It won Best Supporting Actress for Da'Vine Joy Randolph and was nominated for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. The story is set at the Barton Academy during the holidays, where a group of students, known as the holdovers, remain on campus due to personal circumstances. They are supervised by strict teacher Paul Hunham and grieving cook Mary Lamb, with the narrative focusing on troubled teen Angus Tully.
Filming took place in Massachusetts, including scenes at Fairhaven High School and the James Arnold Mansion in New Bedford. Local actress Pamela Jayne Morgan, from Fall River, appeared as a waitress who refuses to serve a dessert containing alcohol to a table with an underage guest. In an interview, Morgan expressed enthusiasm for a series adaptation: "I would be thrilled to see this turned into a series because the overall storyline relative to Paul Giamatti's character taking Dominic Sessa under his wing is a heartwarming story."
Rumors of a TV version surfaced in April 2025, and recent reports confirm Miramax's early-stage plans. The studio seeks to build on the film's success, which holds a 97% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Collider critic Ross Bonaime described it as "Alexander Payne's warmest film yet."
Miramax head Jonathan Glickman emphasized continuity: “You need to have some connective tissue with the original property. It gives legitimacy to a project so it doesn’t seem like just a cash grab.” Payne may return, along with other original contributors. The film is streamable on platforms like Amazon Prime and Apple TV for a fee.
This adaptation follows the trend of expanding popular films into series, potentially bringing production back to the region.
