Chad Michael Murray & Britt Robertson Already Have Sequel Ideas For The Merry Gentlemen

The Merry Gentlemen is a light-hearted new rom-com about an all-male Christmas revue. It’s one of several Christmas movies hitting Netflix this holiday season, in a way offering a sort of festive take on Magic Mike. The film stars One Tree Hill’s Chad Michael Murray and Under the Dome’s Britt Robertson as the romantic leads, alongside Fuller House’s Marla Sokoloff and Beth Broderick of Sabrina the Teenage Witch.

Robertson plays Ashley, who’s just lost her job dancing in the New York dance ensemble The Jingle Belles. For the first time in over a decade, she returns to her hometown for the holidays, only to find that her parents’ bar The Rhythm Room is under threat of being sold. In an effort to save the establishment, Ashley decides to stage a steamy, all-male, Christmas-themed show with help from handyman Luke (Murray). As the pair work on the show together, they grow closer to one another, opening the recently-divorced Luke up to the prospect of loving again.

ScreenRant interviewed Chad Michael Murray and Britt Robertson to discuss Ashley and Luke’s flirty banter in the Christmas rom-com and potential sequel ideas.

Britt Robertson Already Has An Idea For A Merry Gentlemen Sequel

What’s Next For Luke & Ashley After The Events Of The Film

Screen Rant: Chad, from your perspective, what do you think makes Luke say yes to Ashley’s idea in the first place, considering they had only just met, and he has a sort of bitter recent history with city girls?

Chad Michael Murray: That’s a great question, and that was a question that I was dealing with just as an artist trying to find a real reason for him to want to go in. I think the push and pull is there, but the
movie’s only 90-something minutes
, so you got to tighten that up.

Ultimately, I think seeing her passion and her love for The Rhythm Room, seeing and working for her parents and knowing the hard work that they put into this place, honestly, at the end of the day you just want to do the right thing and take care of the people that you care about. And maybe, outside chance, you’ve got a crush on a girl, and that typically can lead you to do things that you’re not used to.

Britt Robertson: You go in.

Chad Michael Murray: You go for it.

I know at the end of the movie Ashley says she doesn’t quite know what’s next for her yet, but I’m curious, Britt, from your perspective, do you think after having so much fun putting on this show, would she want to maybe continue working on that production side instead?

Britt Robertson: Yes, I think we do see that a little bit with the character where Ashley’s like, “Wait a second, I’ve always been so focused on being the dancer in front of the audience, but maybe I’m just as excited by being sort of behind the production and behind the curtain,” if you will. So we do see a little bit of that with my character.

But I am really pitching a Merry Gentlemen 2. I would like for the women to do some of the dancing. But I’d also think that we should get married, and then I should be pregnant, because I’d like to do some sexy belly work. I think that’d be cool.

Chad Michael Murray: Rihanna did it.

Britt Robertson: Exactly, yes. That’s what I’m looking for. So if your question was to say, “What’s the future?” I think it’s going to look a little something like that.

Chad Michael Murray: More merrier, more gentleman and a baby.

Britt Robertson: Maybe get the baby in there, cute!

Chad Michael Murray: The baby doesn’t come out during the show.

Britt Robertson: I don’t know, I’m just now spitballing. It’s fine. [Laughs]

Ashley & Luke Play A Game Of Cat & Mouse In The Merry Gentlemen

How The Duo’s Flirty Push & Pull Makes Them Work Together

And in your guys’ opinion, what makes Ashley and Luke work together, and what was it like forming that dynamic?

Britt Robertson: Well I think the reason that they work together, I sort of have this banter a little bit with my husband, where it’s like there’s almost like, it’s what you said, the pushback, the push and pull. There’s something that’s flirty and fun about it.

And the more they are in on it together, the more enjoyable the whole process is, and thus other people get sort of excited by the show and what it’s doing for the bar and so on and so forth. But if not for that sort of beginning interest or intrigue in each other, I don’t know that anything else really makes sense, so it’s the setup that’s kind of crucial.

Chad Michael Murray: Yeah, there’s a little game of cat and mouse right there at the beginning, but after that, that kind of gets put aside for the greater good for The Rhythm Room, and ultimately, everything that transpires from there is just gravy – or cranberry sauce.

Britt Robertson: Or cranberry sauce. Or stuffing.

Chad Michael Murray: Or pumpkin pie.

Britt Robertson: You know what they say in the South? Stuffing is called dressing.

Chad Michael Murray: Dressing, yeah.

Britt Robertson: Whack!

Chad Michael Murray: Yeah, it’s dressing.

Britt Robertson: I just found this out. What’s going on?

Chad Michael Murray: I know, I know. I lived in the South for a while.

Britt Robertson: Sorry, Deven. What were you saying? [Laughs]

Chad Michael Murray: “Hey would you like some dressing?” And I was like, “Dressing for what?”

Britt Robertson: Exactly. Condiments.

Chad Michael Murray: Like, ranch?

Britt Robertson: Yes, exactly. That’s what I’m thinking. I’m thinking there’s going to be a sauce. I don’t even like sauce.

More About The Merry Gentlemen (2024)

To save her parents’ small-town performing venue, a former big-city dancer decides to stage an all-male, Christmas-themed revue.

Source: Screen Rant Plus

Director

Peter Sullivan

Release Date

November 20, 2024

Writers

marla sokoloff

Cast

Britt Robertson , Chad Michael Murray , marla sokoloff , Beth Broderick , Michael Gross , Maxwell Caulfield , Hector David Jr. , Colt Prattes , Marc Anthony Samuel