School of Communication (SCOM) alumnus Gregg McBride (B.S. ‘86) has two films, “Would You Kill For Me? The Mary Bailey Story” and “The Christmas Ringer”, coming out later this year.
“Would You Kill For Me? The Mary Bailey Story” will be released on Oct. 28 on Lifetime. This film follows three women–a grandmother, mother, and daughter—as they get their revenge on the same abusive man. McBride wrote this film inspired by the true story of Mary Elizabeth Bailey, who at eleven years old was coaxed by her mother into committing a life-ending crime. McBride was given Bailey’s book and had the task of respecting her real-life journey by writing a mysterious, entertaining, and thrilling film all while offering some redemption at the end.
“The Christmas Ringer” will be available on BET+ on Nov. 30. This holiday musical follows a woman as she goes home for the holidays after her career has been derailed. She then ends up directing her family’s church choir with hopes of winning a Christmas Choir Competition. As executive producer of this film, McBride explained that the juxtaposition of both films is what he loves about his career. After his Hallmark Hall of Fame movie, “A Heavenly Christmas,” premiered to the highest ratings in Hallmark Channel history back in 2016, he wanted to continue the legacy of creating holiday films that become annual favorites.
“It’s always very exciting to me when something that began as a germ of an idea in my head makes it to the screen. I never get tired of creating ideas, bringing them to life, and then finding out that others believe in my vision and want to help make it a reality.”
McBride expressed that during his time at the College of Communication and Information (CCI), he found that the coursework and extracurricular activities allowed him to experience all aspects of creativity, which would inform his future work. “Even if an idea is yours and yours alone, your vision will need to be shared by others to come to fruition. I love the ‘community theatre’ aspect of creation. This was a concept that was encouraged at CCI, and I’ve carried that forward throughout my entire career so far.”