Violent Night - What We Know So Far
Violent action films and Santa Claus are two subjects that don't necessarily feel like they go together. However, there have been a few action flicks set around the holiday season — most notably "Die Hard," which has engendered a never-ending debate about whether or not it counts as proper holiday viewing.
There have also been tons of horror franchises where a murderer dons a Santa Claus suit and then rains bloody havoc upon innocent victims. From "Silent Night, Deadly Night" to "Christmas Evil," killer versions of everyone's favorite symbol of holiday-centered joviality have been causing controversy and creating cash since the 1980s. There's even "Santa's Slay," featuring wrestler Bill Goldberg as a wicked version of Saint Nick himself.
Entering the whole bloody Christmastime motion picture conversation is "Violent Night," which will feature a very famous actor from a huge streaming hit donning Santa's boots and battling the forces of evil — presumably while trying to travel the world, eat cookies, and deliver presents. Here's what we know so far about this upcoming film.
Who stars in Violent Night?
David Harbour of "Stranger Things" will be heading up "Violent Night," playing the role of Santa Claus himself.
Per IMDb, the film will not stint on star power. Rounding out the supporting cast are two legends from the '90s: John Leguizamo of "Romeo + Juliet" and "Encanto" fame is set to appear as Ben, and Beverly D'Angelo from National Lampoon's "Vacation" franchise will be showing up as Anne. Brendan Fletcher, who had a stint on the CW's "Arrow," will apparently be playing Krampus, the infamous folkloric figure who punishes children who have misbehaved during the year.
Elsewhere in the film expect to see "Knives Out" co-star Edi Patterson, "Twilight" actor Cam Gigandet, and Alex Hassell, who plays Translucent on "The Boys," among others. The movie is directed by Tommy Wirkola, known for other winter-set action horror films "Dead Snow" and "Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead." The script comes courtesy of Pat Casey and Josh Miller.
When will Violent Night be released?
Per Yahoo! News, "Violent Night" will screen for the first time at New York Comic Con on October 7. After that, the movie will hit a wide release on December 2, according to Collider. The release is being billed as exclusive to theaters, and as of the time of writing, there's no word as to when the film will have its digital or streaming launch. But if you're hankering for an action-packed holiday season and you're willing to hit your local theatre, then the film definitely has you covered.
Collider reports that "Violent Night" has garnered an R rating from the MPAA, which means you can expect a lot of violence and maybe even a bit of bloodshed to accompany your freewheelingly St. Nick. Fans will have to wait to see if this one will encourage parents to line up around the block like other, more jaw-droppingly dark Santa-related pictures have in the past.
What is Violent Night about?
There isn't currently a trailer available for "Violent Night," but a recently released poster and blurb, courtesy of Collider, has given us a good idea of what the film is about.
The poster shows David Harbour's Santa Claus with a candy cane clutched between his teeth, the end of which is burning the way a stick of dynamite might be. He sports a long white beard, a Santa's cap, a red fur jacket, and some blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. It's an image that promises action but also seems to suggest a roguish sense of humor. The tagline for the film is: "You'd Better Watch Out."
Collider reports that the film is about a family who experiences a home invasion courtesy of a group of mercenaries. Who should ride to the rescue? That would be Santa Claus himself. Cue a melee battle between the mercenaries and Santa Claus. Who's really in charge here, and who will survive the invasion? We'll have to wait until December to find out.