Richard Curtis is done directing: ‘It’s just not gonna happen’

‘I don’t think there’s much to come,’ said ‘Notting Hill’ director

(AFP via Getty Images)

Richard Curtis has revealed that he won’t direct another film.

The 68-year-old filmmaker, who has forged a successful career writing and directing award-winning romcoms Love Actually, Notting Hill, Four Weddings and a Funeral and About Time, is about to release his latest – and maybe final – project: an animated movie based on his own book trilogy, That Christmas.

While Curtis did not direct the forthcoming movie – How to Train Your Dragon’s Simon Otto was in the directing chair instead – he admitted that the film might be fans’ last chance to see any new work from him.

When asked by movie blog Collider when he will be directing again, he replied: “It’s just not gonna happen.”

He added: “I don’t want to get up early, and I don’t want someone to offer me bacon sandwiches every morning.”

Curtis mused that he plans on experimenting with poetry, potentially doing a musical and writing a short book – but wouldn’t be directing again.

“I think if anyone wants to enjoy my work, they should watch this film. It might be their last chance,” he said.

“After this, I don’t think there’s much to come, but I’m glad.”

Richard Curtis said new movie might be fans’ ‘last chance’ to see his new work (Getty Images for BFI)

Curtis said he would only be tempted to direct a movie if it was shot on his doorstep, or in his own house, which was the location for the music video for Ed Sheeran’s “Under The Tree”, which was written for That Christmas.

“I have actually directed the pop video for the Ed Sheeran song in the middle of the movie, and I rather enjoyed that,” said Curtis. “But the big secret was that we shot it entirely in my house, so maybe the only thing we can do is just come up with a movie that’s just set on my street, and I might do that.”

That Christmas tells the story of a festive period that doesn’t exactly go to plan and forces a group of families to accept that Christmas can’t always be perfect.

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It features vocals by Bill Nighy, Fiona Shawa and Jodie Whittaker, with Santa Claus being voiced by actor Brian Cox.

A still from ‘That Christmas’ (Netflix)

Curtis co-wrote the script with Peter Souter, which looks at family dynamics, universal traditions and the expectations we put on the annual festive season.

“I hope it’s going to be a film that makes people happy – perhaps more than once,” Curtis told Netflix’s Tudum.

“I hope it’ll remind people of the joy and complexity of Christmas, and some of the joys and comedy and heartbreak of childhood.”

This article was amended on 27 November 2024. It originally said that Curtis directed ‘Notting Hill’ and ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral’, but he was the scriptwriter and not the director for those films.