Nate Bargatze Eyed to Star in New Christmas Movie

Comedian Nate Bargatze is eyeing a new Christmas movie. Deadline reports that the Grammy nominee, 45, is in negotiations to star in the Amazon MGM Studios holiday family comedy Christmas in Paradise. Also from United Artists’ Scott Stuber, the film is in early stages of development. Bargatze will portray a small-town doctor “who finds himself with a unique bounty on his head just a week before Christmas, in a town where everything is not as it seems.”

Jeff Tomsic will direct, while Johnny Rosenthal will pen the script. Stuber and Nick Nesbitt will produce with Tom McNulty and Nathan Reimann. Sources also say that the film might shoot in Nashville, Bargatze’s hometown and where he currently resides. Additionally, cast and a release date have not been announced, but it’s likely more information will be released in the coming months.

Bargatze has been in the comedy scene for a while now, but he really blew up with his 2019 Netflix special The Tennessee Kid. He earned a Grammy nomination for his comedy album The Greatest Average American in 2022. Bargatze has two specials on Comedy Central and three on Netflix, releasing his most recent one, Your Friend, Nate Bargatze, in 2024. His 2023 Amazon special Hello, World gave the streamer its most-streamed original comedy special ever. He’s hosted Saturday Night Live twice – in 2023 and 2024.

News of Christmas in Paradise comes just months after Bargatze signed up to star in the TriStar Pictures comedy The Breadwinners. Pitched by Bargatze and Dan Lagana, the film marked his first starring role in a feature film. The project is in early development, with the plot being kept under wraps. Bargatze and Lagana will write the script and produce alongside Jeremy Latcham for Wonder Project.

Nate Bargatze is keeping busy because, on top of his new acting projects, he’s also set to go out on tour again this spring/summer, kicking off the Big Dumb Eyes Tour this April in Norway. He’s also taking his comedy show to the open seas with Nateland at Sea from Feb. 5 through 9, 2026, with live podcasts and comedy shows featuring John Crist, Dusty Slay, Derrick Stroup, and more on a cruise ship from Tampa to Mexico. Bargatze has quite a lot going for him, and with Christmas in Paradise possibly being added to that list, the excitement is only growing. More information should be announced soon.