Hulu has announced the title, cast and release date for American High’s latest movie shot in Syracuse.
“It’s a Wonderful Binge” will be released Dec. 9 exclusively on the streaming service, Hulu announced Wednesday. The film, previously known as “The Binge 2: It’s a Wonderful Binge,” is a holiday-themed sequel to the largest movie ever shot in Syracuse, “The Binge.”
“Like the original film, the sequel is set in a near future where all drinking and drugs are banned except for on one glorious day known as The Binge. This year, that day happens to miraculously land on Christmas. The new holiday adventure will feature magical storybooks, catchy songs, stop-motion animation… and drugs! Lots of them! Merry Bingemas!” the official synopsis says.
Hulu also announced the cast, led by returning stars Eduardo Franco and Dexter Darden. They’ll be joined by Danny Trejo (”Machete”), Nick Swardson (”Grandma’s Boy”), Kaitlin Olson (”It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia”), Paul Scheer (”The League”), and Tim Meadows (”Saturday Night Live”), plus Zainne Saleh, Marta Piekarz, Tony Cavalero, Patty Guggenheim, Esteban Benito, Eileen Galindo, and Karen Maruyama.
Original “The Binge” stars Vince Vaughn, Skyler Gisondo, and Grace Van Dien do not appear to have roles. Van Dien and Franco co-starred in “Stranger Things 4” earlier this year.
Jordan VinDina, who wrote both “Binge” movies, makes his feature-length directorial debut with the sequel.
Jeremy Garelick, who directed “The Binge,” produced “It’s a Wonderful Binge” along with Will Phelps, Ryan Bennett and Molle DeBartolo for American High, and Mickey Liddell and Pete Shilaimon for LD Entertainment. LD Entertainment’s Michael Glassman is also on board as an executive producer, as is Andrew Reyes.
“The Binge,” a sort-of-spoof of “The Purge” released in 2020, is the largest movie ever shot in Syracuse and the first franchise for American High, based in Liverpool, N.Y. More than 2,000 extras and 50-60 local crew members worked on the first film, which included scenes at Syracuse Studios (formerly Liverpool High School and the A.V. Zogg Middle School in Liverpool), Onondaga Lake Parkway, Hanover Square, Carnegie Library, Clinton Square, Village Burger in Liverpool, a bridge in Van Buren, and the Greater Syracuse Soundstage (formerly known as the nano film hub in DeWitt).
A trailer has not been released yet for “It’s a Wonderful Binge.” It’s unclear if the film will have any ties to, or jokes about, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” the Francis Capra holiday classic that was reportedly inspired by Seneca Falls, located 45 miles west of Syracuse.
“It’s a Wonderful Binge” is one of 15 movies shot by American High in the Syracuse area over the last five years, along with “Banana Split,” “Holly Slept Over,” “Looks That Kill,” “Big Time Adolescence,” “The Ultimate Playlist of Noise,” “Plan B,” “Sex Appeal,” “Crush,” I Love My Dad,” “Empire Waist,” “Sid Is Dead,” “Miguel Wants to Fight” and a currently untitled Kevin James film.
MORE STORIES:
Adam Sandler coming to Turning Stone, 2 years after Covid canceled sold-out show
Syracuse horror movie suspends production after actor’s injury, crew walkout