The holiday romance, Christmas at the Zoo, filmed at Brookfield Zoo, Chicago and in downtown Libertyville is now reaching audiences nationwide, bringing a little Chicago magic to the Christmas movie season.
Christmas at the Zoo, the latest feature from longtime Chicago filmmaking partners Chris Charles and John W. Bosher, premiered November 10 and is now streaming free on Tubi, with rental and purchase options available on Apple TV and Prime Video.
The film brings together a familiar holiday romance, an extraordinary collection of animals, and one of the Chicago area’s most beloved destinations, Brookfield Zoo Chicago.
Starring Brittany Underwood, two-time Daytime Emmy Award winner Matt Cohen, and Saturday Night Live alumna Nora Dunn, the film follows an entrepreneur negotiating a sponsorship for the zoo’s new Humboldt penguin habitat. Along the way, she finds herself unexpectedly drawn to a compassionate zookeeper, complicating her carefully laid business plans just as the holidays approach.
Directed by Danny Buday, Christmas at the Zoo is the fourth holiday feature from Illinois-based Very Merry Entertainment, the production company behind Reporting for Christmas and Christmas on the Ranch.
For Charles and Bosher, who have been making films together for more than two decades, the new release continues a creative partnership that began when they were students at Columbia College Chicago.
And while holiday romances have become an increasingly successful part of their filmmaking careers, Christmas at the Zoo offers something particularly special: a setting that is as much a character in the story as the people who inhabit it.
Brookfield Zoo Chicago takes center stage
Much of the film was shot at Brookfield Zoo Chicago, where the production incorporated the zoo’s spectacular Holiday Magic celebration, complete with more than 3.5 million lights and illuminated displays.
The animal residents are an important part of the experience, too. Humboldt penguins, reindeer, bottlenose dolphins, western lowland gorillas, a polar bear, and an Amur tiger are among the wildlife featured throughout the film.
Beyond providing a remarkable backdrop for a Christmas romance, the zoo also brings a meaningful conservation message to the story.
“We’re especially excited to see Humboldt penguins in the spotlight, as the wild population continues to decline—underscoring the importance of conservation efforts to protect them,” said Julianne Olivo, Brookfield Zoo Chicago’s director of public relations, who also makes a cameo appearance.
“Brookfield Zoo Chicago is a truly magical place during the holidays,” Charles said. “We’re excited to provide audiences with a unique experience.”
The production extended beyond the zoo, with filming in Chicago, Riverside, Brookfield, and downtown Libertyville.
For those familiar with Libertyville, several recognizable locations make appearances, including Wild Moon Collective, La Villa Lofts, Conscious Cup Coffee Roasters, and Cook Memorial Park. Local businesses and residents also became part of the production, bringing a genuine sense of community to the film.
That commitment to filming close to home has become something of a hallmark for Charles and Bosher.
During a recent ABC7 Chicago interview, Underwood praised the filmmakers’ affection for their hometown and the care they bring to their productions, a sentiment that reflects the relationships they’ve developed while making movies in the area.
Chicago filmmakers with a long history
Christmas at the Zoo is the fourth holiday feature from Very Merry Entertainment, a joint venture between Throughline Films and Argonaut Entertainment Partners specializing in uplifting, family-friendly holiday productions.
Throughline partners Charles and Bosher have spent more than 20 years writing, producing, and directing independent films. Both graduated with honors from Columbia College Chicago and have built a production history that extends well beyond holiday entertainment.
Their early work includes the Chicago-set mafia thriller Chicago Overcoat, which secured distribution deals with Showtime, 20th Century Fox, and Netflix. They also produced We Are Columbine, a documentary following four survivors of the 1999 school shooting as they returned to the campus two decades later to reflect on their experiences and journeys toward healing.
Their crime drama The Cleaner, starring Shelley Long, Luke Wilson, and Lynda Carter, was acquired by Hulu and subsequently became available on other streaming platforms.
Through Very Merry Entertainment, Bosher and Charles have established a continuing presence in holiday filmmaking. Their first production, Christmas with Felicity (2021), secured an exclusive deal with AMC. The company’s next two films, Reporting for Christmas (2023) and Christmas on the Ranch (2024), premiered as Hulu exclusives and ranked among the platform’s Top 15 new releases.
For Christmas at the Zoo, Charles and Bosher served as producers, with their Very Merry partner Jonathan Bross serving as an executive producer. Additional executive producers include Jeremy Warner, Suzanne C. Johnson, Michael Okun, Underwood, and Cohen.
Charles also co-wrote the screenplay with Bosher and veteran screenwriter Adam Rockoff. Throughline Films arranged worldwide sales.
For Bosher, the appeal of making holiday movies goes beyond offering audiences a little seasonal entertainment.
“It’s great to make holiday films like Christmas at the Zoo that bring people so much comfort and joy,” he said. “It’s even better when the movie has a message and can help make a difference.”
With its familiar Chicago-area locations, holiday atmosphere, and a story built around the animals and people who care for them, Christmas at the Zoo offers audiences something especially appealing: a holiday film that celebrates the place where it was made.
Christmas at the Zoo is now streaming free exclusively on Tubi and is available to rent or purchase on Apple TV and Prime Video.
For more information, visit Throughline Films.
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