If you’re already counting down to the holidays, add this one to your watch list: “Christmas at the Zoo,” a new holiday movie filmed on location at Brookfield Zoo Chicago during a real Chicago winter, premieres free on Tubi on November 10.
The heartwarming love story follows Alicia (Brittany Underwood), an entrepreneur helping the Zoo secure funding for a new Humboldt penguin habitat, and Shane (Matt Cohen), the compassionate animal care specialist she falls for along the way. Comedy legend Nora Dunn (Saturday Night Live) also stars.
What makes this one special: the Zoo isn’t just a backdrop — it’s part of the story. The film was shot across more than 25 recognizable Zoo spaces with about 150 animals from at least 35 species, from reindeer to polar bears, plus the glow of Holiday Magic, Chicagoland’s longest-running holiday lights festival. At the heart of the story are Humboldt penguins, a Vulnerable species the Zoo helps protect through its Punta San Juan Program partnership.
Fun details:
- Filmed in December 2025 in close coordination with the Zoo’s animal care experts and accredited through the American Humane Society’s “No Animals Were Harmed” program
- Zoo President and CEO Dr. Mike Adkesson makes a cameo, alongside Zoo staff, members, donors, and volunteers cast as extras
- Directed by Danny Buday, produced by Illinois-based Very Merry Entertainment
“Christmas at the Zoo” streams free on Tubi starting November 10, and will also be available to rent or purchase on Apple TV and Prime Video. Watch the trailer and learn more about the Humboldt penguins at brookfieldzoo.org/help-penguins.
And if the movie puts you in the spirit — Holiday Magic returns to Brookfield Zoo Chicago this season with more than 3.5 million lights across the Zoo’s 235-acre campus.
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