Arnold Schwarzeneggeris coming home for the holidays—andAlan Ritchsonis coming with him. The duo will star in the holiday comedyThe Man With the Bagfor Amazon.Deadline reportsthat the duo will begin production on the family film later this year. The film will center around Santa Claus, who turns to his naughty list when his magic bag is stolen. There, he finds former thief Vance, who he enlists to steal it back. Together with his daughter, Santa, and a band of misfit elves, Vance has to pull off the wildest heist of his life. Amazon has yet to release any casting details, but presumably, Ritchson will play Vance, while Schwarzenegger will play cinema’s most jacked Santa Claus sinceHulk Hogandonned the red suit inSanta With Muscles.
The Man With the Bagwill be Schwarzenegger’s first film in five years. He last graced the big screen in 2019’sTerminator: Dark Fate; the film was not a great success with critics or audiences, but Schwarzenegger’s final turn (so far?) as the iconic T-800 was widely praised.In her review, Collider’sHaleigh Foutchsaid Schwarzenegger’s role in the film was “by far the best use of his next-level charisma yet.” He is currently the lead in rival streamer Netflix’s action comedy seriesFUBAR. Ritchson, meanwhile, is making money hand over enormous fist for Amazon, with his titular role in their hit action seriesReacher. He can currently be seen in the faith-based dramaOrdinary Angels, and will star inGuy Ritchie’sThe Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfarelater this year.
What Are Some Other Unconventional Santa Claus Movies?
As a figure of great cultural significance - and one firmly in the public domain—Santa Claus' cinematic appearances aren’t limited to conventional holiday fare likeMiracle on 34th Street,Santa Claus: The Movie, orThe Santa Clause.Santa-themed horrorhas been a staple of horror films sinceJoan Collinswas menaced by a Santa-suited madman in 1972’sTales From the Crypt. More recently, hapless victims have fallen prey to a homicidal Santa inSanta’s Slay(where the jolly old elf was played by pro wrestlerBill Goldberg), and a monstrous child-stealing Santa in the Finnish filmRare Exports. A less-horrifying, but equally violent Santa was found in the 2022 actionerViolent Night, a take-off onDie Hardwhere a John McClane-esque Santa (played byDavid Harbour) took on a mansion full of thieves led by a Christmas-hatingJohn Leguizamo.
The Man With the Bagwill be directed byAdam Shankman(Hairspray,Disenchanted), and written byAllan Rice(Stuck in the Middle,The New Adventures of Old Christine). It will be produced byLawrence Grey,Ben Everard,Reg Tigerman,Dan Spilo, and Ritchson.The Man With the Bagis slated to begin production later this year;no release date has yet been set.
Stay tuned to Collider for future updates and streamReacheron Prime Video.
When retired Military Police Officer Jack Reacher is arrested for a murder he did not commit, he finds himself in the middle of a deadly conspiracy full of dirty cops, shady businessmen and scheming politicians. With nothing but his wits, he must figure out what is happening in Margrave, Georgia. The first season of Reacher is based on the international bestseller The Killing Floor by Lee Child.
