You probably know Stephen Merchant from The Office, but he’s also made a name for himself in film—particularly as the writer and director of the acclaimed sports movie Fighting With My Family. And according to Merchant, it deserves a spot among the holiday classics.
The movie follows Saraya ‘Paige’ Knight (played by Florence Pugh) as she tries to make it as a professional wrestler, navigating both the challenges of the industry and the chaos of her wrestling-obsessed family. The cast includes Dwayne Johnson, Vince Vaughn, Nick Frost, and Lena Headey.
While it may not scream “Christmas” at first glance, Merchant has been campaigning to change that. On Twitter, he reaffirmed his mission: “I continue my single-handed campaign to make Fighting With My Family a Christmas movie.”
He even quote-tweeted an old post from 2020 listing the evidence: “Heartwarming family story (tick), Festive costumes (tick), Wrestling match called the Christmassacre (tick).”
He’s got a case—and honestly, he’s persistent enough that maybe it’s time we just accept it. Whether or not you count it as a Christmas film, Fighting With My Family is still a heartfelt and entertaining watch for the holidays—or any time of year.
