By Zach Johnson
Twenty years after joining the Disney family, the Jonas Brothers are coming home for the holidays with A Very Jonas Christmas Movie, premiering Friday, November 14, on Disney+ and Hulu. "We're glad they'll still have us," Joe Jonas said. "The doors are still open. Twenty years later, [we're] celebrating doing this together. Having Disney as a partner, it's really special."
The Jonas Brothers' happy homecoming kicked off in May with the release of "Celebrate Happy," an original theme song created in honor of the Disneyland Resort's 70th anniversary celebration. Then, in September, Disney Branded Television announced that the Jonas Brothers will not only executive produce Camp Rock 3 for Disney+ and Disney Channel, but reprise their roles as fictional band Connect 3. "We've had some of these ideas for a while, whether it was Camp Rock 3 or this holiday film," Joe explained. "So, we're really grateful."
"Let It Bro"
A Very Jonas Christmas Movie — produced by 20th Television, a part of Disney Television Studios — finds the trio playing heightened versions of themselves. After wrapping up their Unbreakable Bond tour just 48 hours before Christmas, they face a series of escalating obstacles while trying to travel from London to New York in time to be with their families.
The Jonas Brothers — Kevin, Joe, and Nick — worked closely with writers and producers Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger to ensure their characterizations still felt authentic. "The process of working alongside the creative team for this was really fun for us," Nick said. After spending time with them and sharing their "real-life experiences being on the road," he added, Aptaker and Berger created "these larger-than-life versions of ourselves."
According to Berger, "We did a couple of sessions just sitting together, talking about their dynamics, listening to them tell stories, and seeing the way that they joked around and teased each other. From there, we were able to very organically capture that. But the guys were just really great, really open, and really down to laugh at each other and themselves."
Aptaker and Berger's quips in A Very Jonas Christmas Movie feel accurate, Joe joked, because he and his brothers "pretty much just let them go through our group texts to find the best one-liners."
The truth, Joe said, is that a lot of care went into getting their "tone and voice" just right. "They're great at what they do, but it is an interesting, delicate balance of pitching us: 'Hey, this could be either really funny or very offensive. Are you cool with this?'" he explained. "Luckily, we have thick skin — and we've heard every joke there is — so it went over well."
Ho-Ho-Home for the Holidays
A Very Jonas Christmas Movie offers something fresher than the first snowfall — like seven original songs, including a duet with Kenny G — with a nice sprinkling of holiday nostalgia.
"We're '90s kids, and I think '90s movies are so special because they play for every level," Aptaker said. "That was a real goal of ours, to make something that entertains little kids, but that also has a few jokes that will fly over their heads that their parents can appreciate."
Home Alone (1990) was a "big inspiration" for "die-hard fans" Aptaker and Berger. "When you watch the movie," Berger teased, "you will see that we're paying our respects." Jingle All the Way (1996) and Elf (2003) were also "reference points," Nick added. "There are also elements of films from the '60s and '70s that we pulled from, when you really felt the magic of the holiday season [onscreen]. This is definitely a comedy-forward movie, but there's some real heart here, too. A great Christmas film pulls on your heartstrings and makes you appreciate being around the people you hold closest to you during that season."
The film features an all-star cast that includes Chloe Bennet, Billie Lourd, Laverne Cox, KJ Apa, Andrew Barth Feldman, Andrea Martin, Kenny G, Randall Park, and Jesse Tyler Ferguson, in addition to some surprises and special cameos from the Jonas family. "Everyone got to just have fun and play," Nick said of the large ensemble. "I think it's going to be really fun for the audience, and we're honored that they got to be part of our movie."
Not only were the Jonas Brothers "super collaborative," but the entire cast was "game for anything," Berger said. "I think that comes across in the movie. They were just so excited to be part of something that feels joyful and light, so it was easy to get everyone to say 'yes.'"
"This movie has something for everybody," Aptaker added. "If you grew up with the Jonas Brothers, it's going to speak to you on that level. It honors their history as a band. It honors their current lives as 30-something dads. If you've never heard of the Jonas Brothers, you'll learn about them; they're hilarious, charming guys. And if you just want something to watch with your family that will entertain everyone, I really believe this checks all of those boxes."
