Producer Alexandre Coscas (70+ films) names the Christmas niche nobody’s touching — and why Christmas beats romance for sheer opportunity.
Ever wondered what actually happens between “great script idea” and “it’s on Hallmark this December”? In this episode, Caryn sits down with Alexandre Coscas for an inside look at how Christmas movies really get made. Alex breaks down his script evaluation process and how budget realities shape what gets green-lit. He also explains why Christmas content consistently outperforms romance across networks and streamers. He also points out a wide-open gap in the market: whimsical, magical Christmas stories with truly original concepts. A must-listen for any screenwriter eyeing the holiday genre.
ACTION CHECKLIST
Alexandre noted that most Christmas movies today are grounded and romantic, but there’s a real shortage of whimsical, magical stories with original concepts. Here are 5 directions to explore that untapped niche:
⛄ (Magic-realism Christmas:
A story where something small and unexplained (a wish, an object, a stranger) quietly bends reality, without turning into a full fantasy epic.
🦌 Modernized classic-with-a-twist:
Following Alexandre’s own example (reimagining Weekend at Bernie’s with Santa Claus), take a familiar non-Christmas story and rebuild it around a Christmas core.
🌟 Whimsical workplace Christmas:
A magical or heightened premise set inside an ordinary job (mail carrier, department store, toy factory) where the magic disrupts routine life.
🔔 Family heirloom or object-driven magic:
An ornament, letter, or tradition passed through generations that carries a small magical thread, giving the story emotional stakes beyond the holiday itself.
🎅 Fantasy-lite international folklore:
Look beyond Santa to other winter folklore — like Krampus (Central European), the Yule Cat (Icelandic), or St. Lucia (Scandinavian) to name a few as inspiration for original characters or story elements. These feel fresh to domestic audiences while also giving the story built-in international appeal, per Alex’s point on global reach.
❄️ Recognize the volume advantage of Christmas over romance.
Alex pointed out that networks typically produce just a handful of seasonal romance movies per year (Valentine’s Day, Easter, etc.), but churn out a much larger volume of Christmas movies. This gives writers more production slots and more chances to get made.
