Olivia Wilde has set her next directorial target after "The Invite." She's helming "Naughty," a holiday comedy that Wilde describes as her most ambitious undertaking yet. "It's way bigger than anything I've ever taken on," she told reporters, adding that the project ranks as "a passion project and I fought and fought and fought to get this made."
The pivot marks Wilde's return to comedy territory following her 2022 drama "The Invite," which starred Nathalie Emmanuel and Michael Huisman. That project reunited her with the Hollywood ecosystem after the turbulent production of "Don't Worry Darling" in 2022, which starred Florence Pugh and Harry Styles and generated headlines beyond the film itself.
"Naughty" represents a deliberate choice for Wilde, who has consistently sought to expand her directorial range. The holiday comedy space offers commercial appeal, particularly given the streaming and theatrical appetite for seasonal content that platforms like Netflix and traditional studios compete over each year. Wilde's assertion that she "fought" for this project suggests it encountered resistance during development or financing phases, a common experience for filmmakers with specific creative visions.
The filmmaker has demonstrated her ability to work across genres, from the teen comedy "Booksmart" in 2019 to the psychological thriller elements of "Don't Worry Darling." Her willingness to tackle a holiday comedy signals confidence in her comedic instincts and suggests the project carries genuine personal investment.
Wilde hasn't specified the cast, studio, or release timeline for "Naughty," leaving those details for future announcements. The scale she references likely encompasses budget, logistics, and creative scope rather than her previous efforts. For an industry that scrutinizes female directors' output intensely, Wilde's ambitious framing of this project establishes expectations before