Skip to main content

Santa Claus unleashes season’s beatings in the trailer for Violent Night

For several years now, Die Hard has been somewhat facetiously celebrated as a Christmas movie. And there have been all types of Die Hard variations over the years. Air Force One was “Die Hard on a plane,” whereas Snakes on a Plane was “Die Hard on a plane … with snakes.” But jolly ol’ Saint Nick has had enough of standing on the sidelines for this Christmas tradition. In Universal Pictures’ upcoming holiday flick, Violent Night, Santa Claus is going to become his own action hero.

Violent Night - Official Trailer

Hellboy, Stranger Things, and Black Widow star David Harbour is headlining the cast as Santa Claus. And if the trailer is any indication, Santa is a bit over the holidays at this point. When he stumbles on to a hostage situation, Santa’s first instinct isn’t to play hero. Most of the wealthy family being held captive would probably have slots on Santa’s naughty list. But the young girl in the house is a true believer in Santa, and firmly on the nice list. So on her behalf, Santa is gonna get his hands dirty.

David Harbour is Santa Claus in Violent Night.
Universal Pictures

John Leguizamo also stars in the movie as Ben, the Hans Gruber of the group of mercenaries who planned this heist. Ben may not want to believe it, but it soon becomes clear that he and his team are up against the real Santa. And while Santa may be outgunned, he’s surprisingly adept at turning his presents into lethal instruments.

Recommended Videos

Beverly D’Angelo  also stars in the film as Gertrude, with Alex Hassell as Skyler, and Alexis Louder as Margie Matthews. Edi Patterson, Cam Gigandet, and André Eriksen co-star as well.

Tommy Wirkola directed the movie from a script by Pat Casey and Josh Miller. Fans at New York Comic Con will be able to see the world premiere of Violent Night this Friday, October 7. Everyone else will have to wait until Friday, December 2.

Blair Marnell
Blair Marnell has been an entertainment journalist for over 15 years. His bylines have appeared in Wizard Magazine, Geek…
3 great free movies to stream this weekend (June 13-15)
A man with a computer stands next to two kids in Interstellar.

After a promising May, the box office got off to a strong start last week thanks to Lilo & Stitch, Ballerina, and Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning. None of those films will be the No. 1 movie this weekend. That title will belong to How to Train Your Dragon, the live-action remake of the beloved animated film.

Get out to your theater this weekend if you’re able. If not, save some money, download a FAST service, and stream a free movie. Our picks this weekend are a sentimental documentary about a music legend, a potential masterpiece from an Oscar winner, and a ‘90s action thriller.

Read more
3 underrated Netflix shows you should watch this weekend (June 13-15)
Two teen boys talk in Heartstopper.

Netflix is a platform designed to help you watch television. There are so many options to choose from that actually deciding what you want to watch can sometimes feel a little overwhelming.

That's why we've pulled together three great shows that are all available on the streamer for you to watch now. Take your pick from among them, and trust us, you won't be disappointed.

Read more
3 underrated Netflix movies you should watch this weekend (June 13-15)
Timothee Chalamet stands near a desert wall in a still from the movie Dune: Part Two.

Netflix is filled with movies that are worth your time, but the trouble is that many of them are hard to find. If you're trying to discern which movies you should actually care about, we've got you covered.

We've pulled together a list of three great movies that you can watch this weekend. It's hot outside; take a break and enjoy one of these excellent titles:

Read more