Thirty years after starring in the holiday classic Jingle All the Way, Arnold is back for another Christmas adventure — this time as Santa Claus.
Thirty years after starring in the holiday classic Jingle All the Way, Arnold Schwarzenegger is returning to holiday comedy — this time as the man in the red suit himself with a bag full of presents … well, we hope so.
Coming to Prime Video on December 2, The Man with the Bag follows Schwarzenegger’s Santa Claus as he tries to recover his magical bag of gifts after it’s stolen by a vengeful elf, played by Awkwafina. With Christmas Eve on the horizon and presents around the world at risk, Santa decides to do something that would probably land him on the naughty list: hire a thief.
The thief Santa finds suitable for the job is none other than a charming career criminal called Vance, played by Alan Ritchson, who has already earned himself a spot on Santa’s infamous naughty list. Vance pulls together a team to commit the heist of the season with the help of his own daughter, a few rogue elves, and some cooperative reindeer.
Rated PG, The Man with the Bag offers a blend of comedy, action and heart. It has all the makings of a traditional holiday film, with screenwriter Allan Rice putting a clever spin on seasonal tropes and leaning into themes of second chances, redemption and unlikely friendships.
This 111-minute film is directed by Adam Shankman, whose previous credits include Hairspray and Disenchanted. Alongside Schwarzenegger and Ritchson, the cast features Berkeley James, Michael Cyril Creighton, Liza Koshy, Kyle Mooney, Jane Krakowski and Ken Jeong. The film was produced by Lawrence Grey, Ben Everard, Reg Tigerman, Dan Spilo and Ritchson himself.
The Man with the Bag can add a dash of spice to anyone’s December watchlist. Schwarzenegger’s familiar face paired with Ritchson’s modern action-star appeal brings together two generations of action-comedy actors for a Christmas adventure that’s best enjoyed with a buttery tub of popcorn and a little holiday spirit.
Santa isn’t exactly known for breaking the rules, but this Christmas he’s making an exception, and with a stolen bag to recover and Christmas quickly approaching, he’s got quite the nail-biting mission ahead of him. Let’s hope Vance and his crew are up to the task.
