The first trailer for George Michael-inspired Last Christmas is here and decidedly not queer
Emilia Clarke. (Universal)
The first trailer for the Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding-starring Last Christmas is here and decidedly not queer.
Written and co-starring Emma Thompson, the romcom follows a cynical holiday shop worker (Clarke) who strikes up a friendship with the homeless shelter volunteer (Golding), whom she keeps bumping into.
Inspired by Wham!’s iconic 1986 hit, the film features some of Michael’s most-memorable songs – including Faith, which features in the trailer.
The three-minute teaser, which dropped on Tuesday night (August 13), has divided the internet into two camps: those hoping the film will be “a new gay classic”, and those who are less than impressed by its heterosexual plot.
Mother of Dragons to Pretty Woman Notting Hill 2019? A new gay classic.
— @HappyNow (@xfillorian) August 14, 2019
kinda weird how that “last christmas” movie coming out is like a generic heterosexual romcom and inspired by george michael uses his music in his trailer despite george michael having been a prominent gay artist but ok hets
— thot patrol vergil ? (@wolfpunks) August 14, 2019
Others were concerned that the lengthy trailer might have given away Last Christmas’ inevitable twist ending.
*me trying to find even one moment in the #LastChristmas trailer where henry golding interacts with someone OTHER than emilia clarke, thereby proving he is corporeal rather than a sexy festive ghost* pic.twitter.com/S9QXYLHzbh
— emma lord (@dilemmalord) August 14, 2019
“Last Christmas, I gave you my heart”
Probably the twist, right? Like, Emilia Clarke’s character probably got the heart of Henry Golding’s character the previous Xmas and now has visions of him. I think she’s the only one who interacts with him in the trailer? #LastChristmasMovie
— Steve F (@FistOfFiori) August 14, 2019
Thompson began writing Last Christmas before Michael’s untimely passing on Christmas Day 2016.
“I’d met with George Michael,” she told the Daily Mail in January.
“He was concerned about the homeless, which is a large part of this story.
“We spoke a lot about life and death, and there’s a lot of that in this film as well.”
We spoke a lot about life and death, and there’s a lot of that in this film as well.
After his death, Thompson and director Paul Feig (Bridesmaids, Ghostbusters) worked with the singer’s estate to complete the film, which Feig has confirmed will feature an “absolutely amazing” unreleased track.
“He was putting together his new album when he passed,” Feig told BBC News.
“And one of our tracks is one of those songs. It’s a very celebratory song, and we were able to play the entire song, which is almost six minutes long, in the film.”
The American director confirmed that the film is not a jukebox musical in the vein of Rocketman or Bohemian Rhapsody.
Instead, it features “sections where the actors are actually interacting with the music and other sections where George’s music is driving, or underscoring the story.”
Last Christmas is released on November 8.
