Whoa! ’90s icons, Lawrence brothers bring a ‘Marry Christmas’ to Utah

The Lawrence brothers star in 'Marry Christmas', filmed entirely in Utah, including Deer Valley, Midway, and Heber. Photo: Marry Christmas Movie // Shout Studios

'Marry Christmas' will pull on some nostalgic heartstrings with the Lawrence brothers making a comeback this holiday season

SALT LAKE CITY — For millennials who grew up watching “Blossom,” “Boy Meets World,” and “Brotherly Love,” the Lawrence brothers are reuniting this holiday season in “Marry Christmas,” a new romantic comedy born from the mind of two-time Olympian Kaylin Richardson during the height of the pandemic.

“I have had so many friends vying for wedding venues to a comic degree, that I thought, what if two brothers, with the same last name, accidentally booked their fiancé’s dream venue on the same day,” said Richardson, who wrote and produced the film.

The movie, shot entirely in Utah, brings together ’90s teen heartthrobs Joey, Matthew, and Andrew Lawrence. For Richardson, who previously wrote “Mistletoe Mixup” (2021), the casting was natural. “My producing partner and co-writer, Tim Schaaf, and I had already worked with the Lawrence brothers and they were a natural fit,” she explained. “When they got on board, everything fell into place, from their actual mother, Donna, playing their kooky, albeit wise, grandmother in the film to the city of Midway and Deer Valley Resort welcoming our project in a huge way.”

The production became a true Utah community effort. “So many people across the entire Salt Lake Basin and Wasatch Range came together to make this,” Richardson said, crediting local producers Warren Workman and Michele Christensen, along with cinematographer Chris Morgan. “I may be extremely biased, but I think the first two minutes of the film is the most beautiful skiing scene to ever grace a commercial film.”

For Richardson, who calls Park City home, the choice to make Christmas movies stems from a desire for connection. “I always had a desire to write a movie, but I wanted it to appeal and touch as many people as possible,” she said. “At such a polarizing juncture in time I am grateful that films which might just seem like fluff can actually bring people together.”

The local premiere will be held at the Megaplex Theatres at Valley Fair Mall on December 3, featuring a red carpet event with the Lawrence brothers and co-star Brooke Anne Smith in attendance. The premiere is open to the public, with tickets available for purchase on the Megaplex website.

“There will be some razzle dazzle, but mostly it is an opportunity to feel the joy of the holiday season in an audience full of people, which is no small thing,” Richardson said.

Following the theatrical premiere, “Marry Christmas” will be available for digital purchase and rental on major platforms including Amazon, iTunes, and Google Play through Shout! Studios.