She was celebrated for iconic performances in classics like ‘Home Alone,’ ‘Beetlejuice,’ and a string of beloved Christopher Guest ensemble comedies.
More recently, she was part of the cast for ‘The Studio.’
Catherine O’Hara, a beloved comic actor whose work has spanned different generations, has died at her Los Angeles home the age of 71 following a brief illness. Once best known for her performances in movies such as ‘Home Alone’ and ‘Beetlejuice’, she has enjoyed a more recent career resurgence thanks to hit sitcom ‘Schitt’s Creek’ and Apple TV’s ‘The Studio.’
Catherine O’Hara in 1990’s ‘Home Alone’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Born March 4, 1954, in Toronto, Ontario, Catherine Anne O’Hara grew up in a large Irish-Catholic family where humor was central to daily life. After graduating high school she began performing with the famed Second City comedy troupe in Toronto, quickly gaining notice for her improvisational skills and character work.
O’Hara joined the cast and writing staff of ‘Second City Television’ (‘SCTV’) in the late 1970s, where her sharp wit and comic range helped define the show’s irreverent voice and won her early industry acclaim, including a Primetime Emmy Award for writing.
Catherine O’Hara: A Life in Film and Television
(L to R) Annie Murphy, Eugene Levy, Catherine O’Hara and Daniel Levy in ‘Schitt’s Creek’. Photo: CBC Television.
O’Hara’s film career took off in the 1980s and ’90s with memorable roles in ‘Beetlejuice’ and as Kate McCallister in the holiday classics ‘Home Alone’ and ‘Home Alone 2: Lost in New York’, roles that endeared her to global audiences.
Her portrayal of former soap star Moira Rose on ‘Schitt’s Creek’ was a career-defining performance — earning her a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe, and Screen Actors Guild accolades, and cementing her status as one of television’s most inventive comic actresses.
In later years she continued to surprise and delight audiences with projects including the 2024 sequel ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,’ dramatic turns in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2, and the Apple TV+ series ‘The Studio,’ for which she garnered further critical praise.
Catherine O’Hara: Offscreen
(L to R) Willem Dafoe, Catherine O’Hara, Justin Theroux and Michael Keaton for ‘Beetlejuice Beetlejuice’ at CinemaCon 2024. Photo: Warner Bros.
O’Hara was known for her warmth, humility, and generosity off camera, traits shared by friends and collaborators throughout her long career. She married production designer Bo Welch in 1992, and the couple raised two sons together.
Despite her fame, O’Hara often spoke of her roots in live comedy and improv, crediting her early days at Second City with shaping her creative voice and grounding her approach to performance.
Catherine O’Hara: Legacy
(L to R) Seth Rogen and Catherine O’Hara in ‘The Studio,’ premiering March 26, 2025 on Apple TV+.
Across a career spanning five decades, Catherine O’Hara brought laughter, heart, and unforgettable characters to audiences around the world. Whether playing a bewildered mom, an eccentric TV diva, or a mockumentary ensemble member, she infused each role with intelligence and soul.
Catherine O’Hara in ‘Argylle,’ directed by Matthew Vaughn.
While there are many great theatrical and made-for-TV movies to choose from this holiday season, Moviefone has assembled a collection of fun, unique and beloved Christmas classics to make sure you add to your annual holiday watchlist, including a few that were just released this year.
(L to R) Kiefer Sutherland and Rebel Wilson in ‘Tinsel Town’. Photo: Brainstorm Media.
A washed-up Hollywood action hero (Kiefer Sutherland) is tricked into starring in a small English town’s chaotic Christmas pantomime, where a straight-talking dance instructor and his estranged daughter just might help him rediscover the magic of the season.
Joel Kinnaman as Godlock in ‘Silent Night’. Photo Credit: Carlos Latapi.
From legendary director John Woo and the producer of ‘John Wick‘ comes this gritty revenge tale of a tormented father (Joel Kinnaman) who witnesses his young son die when caught in a gang’s crossfire on Christmas Eve. While recovering from a wound that costs him his voice, he makes vengeance his life’s mission and embarks on a punishing training regimen in order to avenge his son’s death. Full of Woo’s signature style, Silent Night redefines the action genre with visceral, thrill-a-minute storytelling.
(L to R) Ryan Reynolds and Will Ferrell in ‘Spirited,’ premiering November 18, 2022 on Apple TV+.
In ‘Spirited,’ Will Ferrell plays Christmas Present, who is considering retirement after the holidays but chooses to haunt Clint Briggs (Ryan Reynolds), an arrogant public relations executive who is completely aware of Charles Dickens’ famous story and that Present is trying to teach him about the true meaning of Christmas. The result is a fun twist on ‘A Christmas Carol,’ with fantastic musical numbers created by ‘La La Land’s Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.
2004’s ‘The Polar Express.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
No matter where you come down on the “creepy or cute” debate over this film’s CGI characters, Robert Zemeckis’ first animated holiday film has a surprisingly tender and important message for audiences of all ages as a young boy goes on an odyssey to prove that he can hold onto his Christmas spirit in the face of too many reasons not to believe.
(L to R) Seth Rogen, Anthony Mackie, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt in ‘The Night Before.’ Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
As quite possibly the only Jewish-themed Christmas movie (at least on this list), Jonathan Levine’s story of three friends (Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Anthony Mackie) searching for the ultimate Christmas party offers tons of laughs but also some surprisingly mature messages, all anchored by an unexpectedly delightful turn by Michael Shannon as the trio’s would-be guardian angel.
When their beloved dog Merv loses his spark after their split, Anna (Zooey Deschanel) and Russ (Charlie Cox) are forced into the world’s most awkward co-parenting arrangement. Hoping to shake Merv out of his funk, Russ takes him to Florida for a much-needed getaway-only for Anna to show up unexpectedly. As Merv slowly gets his groove back, turns out fixing their dog’s broken heart may lead to a few sparks of their own.
Dan Aykroyd as Louis Winthorpe III in ‘Trading Places.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.
A snobbish investor (Dan Aykroyd) and a wily street con-artist (Eddie Murphy) find their positions reversed as part of a bet by two callous millionaires.
Michelle Pfeiffer in ‘Oh. What. Fun.’ Photo: Prime Video.
Claire Clauster (Michelle Pfeiffer) is the glue that holds her chaotic, lovable family together at the holidays. But this year, after planning a special outing for them, they make a crucial mistake and leave her home alone. Fed up and feeling under appreciated, she sets off on an impromptu adventure of her own. As her family scrambles to find her, Claire discovers the unexpected magic of a Christmas gone off-script.
(Left) Jim Carrey as the Grinch in ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
This Ron Howard directed live-action remake of the beloved 1966 animated Dr. Seuss TV movie stars Jim Carrey in the title role and was an instant Christmas classic when it was released in 2000.
Tim Allen as Scott Calvin / Santa Claus in ‘The Santa Clause.’ Photo: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution.
Tim Allen’s 1990s hot streak continued with this story of a man who inadvertently inherits the mantle of Santa Claus and must adjust – and adjust his wardrobe – to accommodate the demands of one of the world’s most important jobs.
Bruce Willis as John McClane in ‘Die Hard 2.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Off-duty cop John McClane (Bruce Willis) is gripped with a feeling of déjà vu when, on a snowy Christmas Eve in the nation’s capital, terrorists seize a major international airport, holding thousands of holiday travelers hostage. Renegade military commandos led by a murderous rogue officer plot to rescue a drug lord from justice and are prepared for every contingency except one: McClane’s smart-mouthed heroics.
2011’s ‘Arthur Christmas.’ Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
If the movies teach us anything it’s that Santa has a lot of family members – but this might be the first time he not only has kids, but a father of his own. In this delightful animated film, Santa’s son and old, OLD Saint Nick team up to deliver a lost gift to a young girl in time for Christmas.
(L to R) Danny Glover and Mel Gibson in ‘Lethal Weapon’. Photo: Warner Bros.
You may not remember, but ‘Lethal Weapon’ is totally a Christmas movie as it takes place over the holiday. On the eve of retirement, veteran LAPD detective Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) is assigned a new partner, Vietnam veteran Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson), a recent widower with suicidal tendencies. After initially bumping heads, the two come together to solve a homicide, bring down a group of heroin smugglers, and rescue Murtaugh’s family.
Billy Bob Thornton as Willie T. Soke in ‘Bad Santa.’ Photo: Miramax Films.
Terry Zwigoff’s midnight-black comedy offers a rejoinder to the notion that Christmas stories must be cheerful and bright, as alcoholic safe-cracker Willie Soke (Billy Bob Thornton) eats and drinks his way through the holiday season, holing up in the house of an outcast kid name Thurman who think he’s the real article as his partner Marcus tries to keep him in check (and sober enough to complete their annual Christmas Eve heist).
It’s an unforgettable Christmas for the townsfolk of Wellington-on-Sea when the worst snowstorm in history alters everyone’s plans — including Santa’s.
1947’s ‘Miracle on 34th Street.’ Photo: 20th Century-Fox.
The best holiday stories are those that remind you what it was like to be a kid – or at least that there’s some magic in the world – and this one is no exception: when a man dressed as Santa Claus and claiming to be him gets institutionalized, a young lawyer sets out to prove that he’s the real thing.
Joe Dante created this mischievous romp about a mysterious little creature and the trouble caused when his owner (Zach Galligan) fails to obey the very simple and strict rules for taking care of him. Featuring a cavalcade of manic, menacing, oddball creatures and plenty of Dante’s own impish creativity, it’s a highly unconventional holiday film that has earned its place in the canon.
1966’s ‘How the Grinch Stole Christmas!’ Photo: MGM Animation/Visual Arts.
At 26 minutes and using only hand-drawn animation, this television special might lack some of the pizazz of the live-action and computer-animated versions that followed. But its adaptation of Dr. Seuss’ classic children’s book gets all of the details the most right, and features the immortal Boris Karloff as narrator, lending the character’s journey from crank to Christmas superfan a theatrical elegance that’s never been matched.
Peter Billingsley as Ralphie Parker in 1983’s ‘A Christmas Story.’ Photo: MGM/UA Entertainment Co.
Bob Clark’s adaptation of Jean Shepherd’s “In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash” skillfully pays tribute to a bygone era of childhood fantasy and hilariously exposes the simple truth that it never really existed. Peter Billingsley is so good as the kid who wants nothing as much as a Red Ryder BB gun and will engage in any and all subterfuge to obtain one – and protect it even after his parents’ worst fears come true.
A man (Eddie Murphy) is determined to win the neighborhood’s annual Christmas decorating contest. After making a pact with an elf (Jillian Bell) to help him win, the elf casts a spell bringing the 12 days of Christmas to life and unexpectedly bringing chaos to town.
Chris Pratt as Peter Quill / Star-Lord in Marvel Studio’s ‘The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special.’
Written and directed by ‘Guardians of the Galaxy‘ James Gunn, the movie follows Drax the Destroyer (Dave Bautista) and Mantis (Pom Klementieff) as they set out to give Peter Quill (Chris Pratt) the best Christmas ever, after discovering that Yondu (Michael Rooker) ruined the holiday for him as a child. So, the two Guardians travel to Earth to kidnap Peter’s childhood hero, the ‘Footloose’ actor Kevin Bacon (playing himself), as the ultimate gift for Peter.
This would make the list on the strength of Vince Guaraldi’s music alone, but this animated special qualifies as Charles Schulz’ magnum opus, as his beleaguered title character tries to find the true meaning of Christmas in a landscape marred by rampant commercialism.
(L to R) Cameron Diaz and Jude Law in ‘The Holiday’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
Two women, one from the United States (Cameron Diaz) and one from the United Kingdom (Kate Winslet), swap homes at Christmas time after bad breakups with their boyfriends. Each woman finds romance with a local man but realizes that the imminent return home may end the relationship.
1993’s ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas.’ Photo: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution.
Tim Burton combines the best of two holidays with this stop-motion animated film about Jack Skellington (Danny Elfman), an authority on all things Halloween who decides to turn his macabre creativity loose on Santa’s favorite day of the year.
Asking the age old question: “What would Santa Clause do if he was in ‘Die Hard?’” ‘Violent Night’ stars David Harbour as Father Christmas, who has lost faith in mankind. While delivering gifts to a wealthy family on Christmas Eve, he discovers a group of criminals have taken the family hostage, and its up to Santa to save the day and rescue a little girl and her family, who teaches him that some people still believe in Christmas miracles.
(Right) Will Ferrell in ‘Elf.’ Photo: New Line Cinema.
Jon Favreau’s comedic chops balance perfectly with Will Ferrell’s wholesome, silly enthusiasm in this endlessly entertaining story of a human raised at the North Pole who treks to civilization and reconnect with his father, a cynical workaholic book publisher played to perfection by James Caan.
Macaulay Culkin as Kevin McCallister in ‘Home Alone.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.
John Hughes transitioned into decidedly more family-friendly territory with this script about a kid who gets left behind while the rest of his family heads out for their Christmas vacation. Macaulay Culkin became a star overnight as the precocious preteen who fends off burglars and holiday loneliness in Chris Columbus’ monster hit film.
Chevy Chase in 1989’s ‘National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo come clashing back together as Clark Griswold and his loving, long-suffering wife Ellen, this time trying to survive the holiday season that much like every other Clark family gathering seems destined for disaster.
Bill Murray as Frank Cross in ‘Scrooged.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.
There have been a lot of great versions of Charles Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol,’ but Bill Murray makes his version of Scrooge one of the wildest, this time a television executive who loses his way in a cutthroat industry and gets visited by three ghosts unafraid to beat him (literally) into a Christmas morning epiphany.
(Center) James Stewart as George Bailey in ‘It’s a Wonderful Life.’ Photo: RKO Radio Pictures.
Frank Capra’s 1946 film initially achieved ubiquitousness by virtue of endless syndicated showings on television, but it became a classic on the strength of its story – a portrait of sacrifice and generosity – as well as a performance by Jimmy Stewart that utilized both his fragile desperation and scrappy determination.
(L to R) Val Kilmer and Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
A petty thief (Robert Downey Jr.) posing as an actor is brought to Los Angeles for an unlikely audition and finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation along with his high school dream girl (Michelle Monaghan) and a detective (Val Kilmer) who’s been training him for his upcoming role.
From acclaimed director Alexander Payne, ‘The Holdovers’ follows a curmudgeonly instructor (Paul Giamatti) at a New England prep school who is forced to remain on campus during Christmas break to babysit the handful of students with nowhere to go. Eventually he forms an unlikely bond with one of them — a damaged, brainy troublemaker (newcomer Dominic Sessa) — and with the school’s head cook, who has just lost a son in Vietnam (Da’Vine Joy Randolph).
(L to R) Emma Thompson as Karen and Alan Rickman as Harry in ‘Love Actually.’ Photo: United International Pictures.
Richard Curtis’ enchanting tapestry of relationships in the days and weeks leading up to Christmas continues to inspire debates about exactly how healthy the behavior some of its cast of characters are, but that’s sort of the point of the movie itself: what we all want, what we’re pursuing, and at what cost all connects through love, even if in some cases that means the fractured relationship between a husband (Alan Rickman) and wife (Emma Thompson), and others, the recognition of a soul mate in a long-suffering tour manager (Gregor Fisher) and his unpredictable rock-star client (Bill Nighy).
1992’s ‘The Muppet Christmas Carol.’ Photo: Walt Disney Pictures.
This “Christmas Carol” adaptation has largely been reduced by the internet to a meme of its Ebenezer Scrooge (Michael Caine) dancing along with one of Jim Henson’s human-sized puppets, but the film remains one of the most magical – and emotional – versions of the story ever told, thanks to a Bob Cratchit, played by Kermit the Frog, who irresistibly embodies the everyman everyone loves.
Bruce Willis as John McClane in ‘Die Hard.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Before John McClane became a superhero and Bruce Willis descended into super-stardom, his performance in this iconic original installment oozed with everyman charm as the New York cop loses his shoes, battles a skyscraper full of terrorists, and tries to make peace with his estranged wife (Bonnie Bedelia).
Chris Columbus attends the NYC Special Screening of ‘The Thursday Murder Club’ on August 14, 2025 in New York City. Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Netflix.
Director Chris Columbus has made some of the most beloved movies of all time!
Kate Pierce (Darby Camp) is reluctantly spending Christmas with her mom’s new boyfriend and his son Jack (Jahzir Bruno). But when the North Pole and Christmas are threatened to be destroyed, Kate and Jack are unexpectedly pulled into a new adventure with Santa Claus (Kurt Russell).
(L to R) Robin Wiliams and Sam Neill in ‘Bicentennial Man’. Photo: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution.
Richard Martin (Sam Neill) buys a gift, a new NDR-114 robot. The product is named Andrew (Robin Williams) by the youngest of the family’s children. “Bicentennial Man” follows the life and times of Andrew, a robot purchased as a household appliance programmed to perform menial tasks. As Andrew begins to experience emotions and creative thought, the Martin family soon discovers they don’t have an ordinary robot.
A valedictorian’s (Paul Rust) declaration of love for a high-school cheerleader (Hayden Panettiere) launches a night of revelry, reflection and romance for a group of graduating seniors.
This rock opera tells the story of one year in the life of a group of bohemians struggling in late 1980s East Village, New York, USA. The film centers around Mark (Anthony Rapp) and Roger (Adam Pascal), two roommates. While a tragedy has made Roger numb to new experiences, Mark begins capturing their world through his attempts to make a personal movie. In the year that follows, they and their friends deal with love, loss, and working together.
When a teen (Charles Schlatter) tries to set up a band at his school, his mother (Tuesday Weld) – who was a big fan of Elvis Presley (David Keith) – gets in a wreck. He and his band members then decide to kidnap Elvis and hook him up with his mother.
Danny Muldoon (John Candy), a Chicago policeman, still lives with his overbearing mother Rose (Maureen O’Hara). He meets and falls in love with Theresa Luna (Ally Sheedy), whose father owns the local funeral parlour. Naturally, his mother objects to the relationship, and Danny and Theresa must either overcome her objections or give up the romance.
Macaulay Culkin in ‘Home Alone 2: Lost in New York’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Instead of flying to Florida with his folks, Kevin (Macaulay Culkin) ends up alone in New York, where he gets a hotel room with his dad’s credit card—despite problems from a clerk and meddling bellboy. But when Kevin runs into his old nemeses, the Wet Bandits (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern), he’s determined to foil their plans to rob a toy store on Christmas Eve.
Jackie (Susan Sarandon) is a divorced mother of two. Isabel (Julia Roberts) is the career minded girlfriend of Jackie’s ex-husband Luke (Ed Harris), forced into the role of unwelcome stepmother to their children. But when Jackie discovers she is ill, both women realize they must put aside their differences to find a common ground and celebrate life to the fullest, while they have the chance.
Accident prone teenager, Percy (Logan Lerman) discovers he’s actually a demi-God, the son of Poseidon (Kevin McKidd), and he is needed when Zeus’ (Sean Bean) lightning is stolen. Percy must master his new found skills in order to prevent a war between the Gods that could devastate the entire world.
When he finds out his longtime girlfriend (Julianne Moore) is pregnant, a commitment-phobe (Hugh Grant) realizes he might have to change his lifestyle for better or much, much worse.
Cars fly, trees fight back, and a mysterious house-elf comes to warn Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) at the start of his second year at Hogwarts. Adventure and danger await when bloody writing on a wall announces: The Chamber Of Secrets Has Been Opened. To save Hogwarts will require all of Harry, Ron (Rupert Grint) and Hermione’s (Emma Watson) magical abilities and courage.
(L to R) Celia Imrie, Ben Kingsley, Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan in ‘The Thursday Murder Club’, which will launch on 28th August 2025 exclusively on Netflix. Photo: Netflix.
Four septuagenarian friends (Helen Mirren, Pierce Brosnan, Sir Ben Kingsley and Celia Imrie) living in a retirement community form the Thursday Murder Club to solve cold cases for fun. But when a shady property developer is found dead, the four find themselves in the middle of their first live case.
When plans with her boyfriend fall through, high school senior Chris Parker (Elisabeth Shue) ends up babysitting the Anderson kids, Brad (Keith Coogan) and Sara (Maia Brewton). What should be a quiet night in, however, turns into a series of ridiculous exploits, starting when they leave the house to pick up Chris’ friend Brenda (Penelope Ann Miller). Soon, Brad’s buddy Daryl (Anthony Rapp) is involved, and the group must contend with car thieves, blues musicians and much more.
Loving but irresponsible dad Daniel Hillard (Robin Williams), estranged from his exasperated spouse (Sally Field), is crushed by a court order allowing only weekly visits with his kids. When Daniel learns his ex needs a housekeeper, he gets the job — disguised as a British nanny. Soon he becomes not only his children’s best pal but the kind of parent he should have been from the start.
Eight-year-old Kevin McCallister (Macaulay Culkin) makes the most of the situation after his family unwittingly leaves him behind when they go on Christmas vacation. When thieves (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) try to break into his home, he puts up a fight like no other.
Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter in ‘Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) has lived under the stairs at his aunt and uncle’s house his whole life. But on his 11th birthday, he learns he’s a powerful wizard—with a place waiting for him at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As he learns to harness his newfound powers with the help of the school’s kindly headmaster (Richard Harris), Harry uncovers the truth about his parents’ deaths—and about the villain who’s to blame.
Macaulay Culkin in ‘Party Monster’. Photo: Strand Releasing.
Preview:
Macaulay Culkin is joining ‘Fallout’ Season 2.
Prime Video’s adaptation of the video game series saw success when it launched this year.
The post-apocalyptic story will continue.
Prime Video found itself with a winner on its hands –– at least critically, but according to parent company Amazon, also in terms of viewership –– this past April, via ‘Fallout,’ the quirky, post-apocalyptic thriller series drawn from Bethesda Game Studios’ wildly popular set of video games.
It debuted as one of Prime Video’s Top 3 most watched titles and earned 16 Emmy nominations for its first season, including Outstanding Drama Series.
According to Deadline, Season 2 will see ‘Home Alone’s Macaulay Culkin joining them, his role mostly a mystery but apparently someone who is a crazy genius. Which seems fitting for the mad world in which ‘Fallout’ takes place.
‘Fallout’ is the story of haves and have-nots in a world in which there’s almost nothing left to have.
Two-hundred years after the apocalypse, the gentle denizens of luxury fallout shelters are forced to return to the irradiated hellscape their ancestors left behind—and are shocked to discover an incredibly complex, gleefully weird, and highly violent universe waiting for them.
Season 2 promises to deliver more of the madness, mutants and mysteries audiences came to enjoy from the first.
Purnell plays Lucy, an optimistic Vault Dweller with an all-American, can-do spirit. Her peaceful and idealistic nature is tested when people harm her loved ones.
Aaron Moten stars as Maximus, A young soldier who hides his tragic past as he serves in a militaristic faction called Brotherhood of Steel. He believes in the nobility of the Brotherhood’s mission to bring law and order to the Wasteland — and will do anything to further their goals… until he learns some harsh truths.
Goggins steals scenes as The Ghoul. The Ghoul survives the Wasteland as a bounty hunter. He is pragmatic, ruthless, and hides a mysterious past.
MacLachlan is Hank, the Overseer of Vault 33 and Lucy’s father. He is eager to change the world for the better –– but has turned out to be not so positive…
When will Season 2 be on screens?
Given that it’s only now started shooting, we’re expecting to wait a while for this one. Hopefully it’ll be before the end of 2025.
The Universal movie was a box office hit, earning more than $75 million worldwide (with more coming from its digital home entertainment release) off the back of a $20 million budget.
Now, according to director Tommy Wirkola (talking to The Wrap), the pieces are falling into place for a follow-up. “We’re talking about it and we’re just making deals and getting everything in order.”
In case you were a Grinch and skipped it, ‘Violent Night’ starred Harbour as a version of Santa who is feeling a little jaded about the whole Christmas thing after centuries of delivering presents to increasingly ungrateful kids.
A Norse warrior lord before he was tapped to don the red suit and bring joy to the world, he’s tired of lists asking for cash or video games, and of competing with Amazon. Plus, the genuine “thank yous” are few and far between.
(L to R) Jason (Alex Hassell), Gertrude (Beverly D’Angelo), Alva (Edi Patterson), Linda (Alexis Louder), Trudy (Leah Brady) and Santa (David Harbour) in ‘Violent Night,’ directed by Tommy Wirkola.
So when he stumbles into a hostage situation at the Lightstone family compound, where the wealthy Gertrude (Beverly D’Angelo) and her grown kids, in-laws and grandchildren have gathered to celebrate a typically passive-aggressive Christmas, he’s initially more concerned with raiding the liquor cabinet than helping out, he’s moved by young Trudy Lightstone (Leah Brady) to take down the villain known as Scrooge (John Leguizamo) and his goons.
According to Wirkola, who was out promoting the Blu-ray release, the team will not be rushing to make the follow-up, so don’t go looking under the cinematic tree this year. “We have time to really crack the script and figure out the story,” Wirkola says. “And we have some ideas, me and Pat and Josh and the producers, we’ve been talking about where we want to take it and what we want to see.”
Of course, there are no details on what the story might be yet, besides Harbour’s Santa facing another situation. But Wirkola and co. know what they have left to play with.
“There’s stuff we left on the floor like the North Pole, Mrs. Claus, the elves,” Wirkola adds. “But story-wise I think we have a really, really cool idea that expands on the world and scope, but still keeping that tone that we love from the first one.”
As long as it’s full of Harbour dealing rough justice to those on the naughty list, it could be another winner.
Punching into theaters on December 2nd, ‘Violent Night’ represents the sort of Christmas movie that is certainly not festive fun for the whole family. But for those whose tastes run more towards the more brutally entertaining likes of ‘Atomic Blonde’ or ‘Bullet Train’, it’s got some fun lurking in Santa’s sack.
Father Christmas in this case is played by ‘Stranger Things’ David Harbour as a grizzled, jaded sort introduced drowning his sorrows at a pub in England between “shifts” delivering presents to the ungrateful spawn of the world. A Nordic warrior who has been handing out presents for more than 1100 years now, he’s seen it all.
And as the world has moved on from more traditional Christmases towards cash gifts, Amazon deliveries and video games, he’s become increasingly disillusioned, ranting about kids who “want, crave and consume”. The movie’s cynically playful tone is set early on when the barkeep, concerned that the sozzled Santa has headed to the roof, is overjoyed to discover him flying away on the traditional reindeer-pulled sleigh, only to be drenched in vomit by the overindulging Claus.
So what can help Santa regain the joy and belief in himself if fewer and fewer are believing in him? Tommy Wirkola’s new film, written by ‘Sonic the Hedgehog’ script duo Pat Casey and Josh Miller, posits that what he needs is a ferocious encounter with thieves who are looking to rob a wealthy family.
Led by John Leguizamo’s Scrooge – his code name – this bunch of Naughty List-dwelling robbers have finagled their way into the swanky, well-defended Lightstone compound posing as caterers and entertainers. Before long, the squabbling brood overseen by Beverly D’Angelo’s Gertrude Lightstone (who is much more a female Logan Roy from ‘Succession’ than ‘National Lampoon’s sweet Ellen Griswold) are being held at gunpoint while the gang look to raid their vault.
Of course, Santa shows up to deliver gifts (and sample some expensive whiskey) and has to help save these largely irredeemable types from the even nastier threat that has invaded their home. His real motivation, though, is young Trudy Lightstone (Leah Brady), a sweet-natured girl who just wants her parents Jason (Alex Hassell) and Linda (Alexis Louder) to reconcile.
It’s a set up that promises plenty of opportunities, but the movie tends to squander them with first-draft family dynamics and mugging from some of the cast (though others, such as ‘The Righteous Gemstones’ Edi Patterson grab the chance to be despicable and run with it).
When the saccharine stuff eventually creeps in, it’s largely manageable and not too sickly, largely balanced by the violence that has been perpetrated before.
While the story can’t quite hold everything together, the set-pieces have much more value. Which is perhaps not surprising given both director Wirkola’s past movies such as ‘Dead Snow’ and ‘Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters’ and the team from 87North.
Spawned from the stunt training facility co-founded by David Leitch (who produces here) and Chad Stahelski after their days working on the original ‘Matrix’ trilogy, it has since become one of the go-to destinations for actors looking to whip themselves into fighting shape. And to design memorable action moments for both the founders and other filmmakers.
Here, the focus is on inventive ways to off nameless (or codenamed) goons with different takes on Christmas staples or other items. So Harbour’s Santa battles armed thieves with a stocking full of pool balls, festive decorations and, in one particularly stabby/slashy moment, an ice skate.
And there is the most inventive, splashy use of Santa’s chimney transport trick to murder someone that we’ve seen in the cinema. Which shouldn’t be surprising, as Santas outside of the odd horror movie don’t generally go on killing sprees.
Harbour absolutely commits to the role of a Santa Claus who used to spend his days smashing heads with a hammer, and despite being tired from years of Christmas duty, still relishes the chance to punish the naughty with more than just coal. Cue lots of spins on Christmas song lyrics turned into catchphrases.
‘Violent Night’ also tips its hat early on to its big influences – ‘Die Hard’, obviously, with Harbour’s character having more than a little John McClane about him – world-weary protagonist dropped into a tough situation who often has to stitch himself up. And then there’s Trudy trying out some ‘Home Alone’ booby traps against the baddies with less cartoony results than Kevin McCallister ever dreamed of.
Forced to do a lot of the heavy lifting, the fight scenes don’t always balance out the fact that the plot is thin and the characters less than stimulating. The baddies are mostly just stock criminals waiting for Santa to kill them off. There are times when it all feels like a video game as Harbour ploughs through the different level of challenges, which is somehow fitting given the writers’ ‘Sonic’ experience.
Yet even Leguizamo, bringing a welcome cocktail of rage and humor to the main villain, can’t quite make it all hang together, leaving the story to droop like an old Christmas tree.
Plus the twists and turns are entirely predictable, leaving Santa as the main reason to keep watching. Wirkola has some fun with the situation, and the needle drops feature some more eclectic choices alongside the standards, it’s just disappointing that the movie doesn’t do more with what it has.
Yet like a slightly overdone gingerbread cookie, it still has its pleasures, mostly whenever Harbour is on screen. Or when a nativity scene is utilized to take out some villains in a way that would probably give the Pope a conniption fit.
It could certainly benefit from a little more of the Christmas magic that Santa keeps talking about, but ‘Violent Night’ is worth unwrapping at the cinema if you ever wondered what ‘John Wick’ at Yule would look like.
‘Violent Night receives 3.5 out of 5 stars.
David Harbour in ‘Violent Night,’ directed by Tommy Wirkola.
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The new movie is basically Santa Claus in ‘Die Hard’ with elements of ‘Home Alone’ and ‘Bad Santa’ thrown in for good measure.
On Christmas Eve, when a wealthy family is held hostage in their home by mercenaries led by Mr. Scrooge (John Leguizamo), the real Santa Claus (David Harbour), who has lost the Christmas spirit must summon his strength to defeat the bad guys and save the family including a young girl named Trudy (Leah Brady), who still believes in the magic of Christmas and Santa Claus.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with David Harbour about his work on ‘Violent Night,’ the unusual screenplay, his version of Santa Clause, and shooting the incredible action sequences.
You can read our full interview with David Harbour below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Harbour, John Leguizamo, and director Tommy Wirkola.
Moviefone: To begin with, what was your first reaction this screenplay and it’s “Santa Claus in ‘Die Hard’” concept?
David Harbour: I mean, before they even gave me the script, they sort of pitched me the idea and I was initially like, “This is insane, no thank you.” They were like, “No, no, no. The director and the producer would really like to talk to you about it, and we’d really like to send you the script,” and they did.
Tommy, the director, is this kind of childlike, Norwegian elfish weirdo who just loves Christmas, and David Leitch has done incredible action movies. They sent me this script and it had such a unique blend of this ‘John Wick’ action, which I love and have always wanted to do.
I saw Charlize Theron in ‘Atomic Blonde’ and I was like, “Oh, I want to be doing that. I want to be the guy doing the choreography.” On top of that, it’s like ‘Miracle on 34th Street,’ where it really does have a Christmas heart beating at the center of it, about a little girl who wants to believe in Santa Claus. The fact that those two things were together, it was such a unique thing. I’d never seen it before, and I got really excited about it.
MF: What was your approach to playing this exaggerated version of Santa Claus?
DH: I mean, what I was curious about is we have this mythological figure that we lie to our kids about. We say he’s real and he’s delivering presents to you, which by the way, I think is fantastic. It’s hilarious that we all just lie to children, I think it’s great. But we don’t really know much about him, except he’s a big fat guy in a red suit who delivers presents to nice, and not to naughty kids.
So, I wanted to have the image of the “Coca-Cola Santa” in the beginning with the little glasses and the curly white beard, but then as the movie goes on, I wanted to see who’s underneath that mask?
(L to R) Jason (Alex Hassell), Gertrude (Beverly D’Angelo), Alva (Edi Patterson), Linda (Alexis Louder), Trudy (Leah Brady) and Santa (David Harbour) in ‘Violent Night,’ directed by Tommy Wirkola.
10,000 years ago, there was a guy in Christian mythology called St. Nicholas, who he’s based on. There’s other traditions, Germany has a guy called Weihnachtsmann, and different cultures have different versions of this guy. So, my interest was, who really is this guy? I think as the movie goes on, we sort of peel back that he wasn’t always such a jolly, fat guy, that there’s some complexity there, and that really interested me in going deep into who that guy was specifically.
MF: Finally, can you talk about your preparation for the action sequences and what it was like shooting those scenes?
DH: It was brutal and great. I mean, I have gotten into a little bit of the fight world through ‘Stranger Things,’ and through the Marvel series (‘Black Widow’ and the upcoming ‘Thunderbolts’), but I’d never done anything as intense as this.
The guys who did this are the stunt guys that do the ‘John Wick’ movies, which are known for their incredible action sequences. They trained me for a couple months in Jujutsu, and Greco-Roman wrestling, and I was working with a couple stunt guys who I got to know their rhythm very well.
But that choreography, it’s just a lot of training. You’re just training and tired all day long, but it’s so exciting to be able to represent what that can be. It was a lot of fun, but it’s really hard work. I mean, watching those fights on UFC and stuff, I have a newfound respect for the guys that do that discipline. It really is exhausting.
David Harbour stars as Santa Claus in Universal Pictures’ ‘Violent Night.’
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As the song goes, “You better watch out. You better not cry. You better not pout…” We’re telling you why – Santa Claus is not just coming to town. He’s going to town battling baddies who decide to take hostage and rob a wealthy family.
‘Stranger Things’ David Harbour stars here as Father Christmas, who when we first meet him in the trailer, is drowning his sorrows. He’s the OG Santa, and has been at this game a long time, starting to lose some self-belief.
What could restore his Christmas spirit? Try showing up at the home of young Trudy Lightstone (Leah Brady), whose wealthy family have gathered at their remote compound to celebrate the season.
(L to R) Jason (Alex Hassell), Gertrude (Beverly D’Angelo), Alva (Edi Patterson), Linda (Alexis Louder), Trudy (Leah Brady) and Santa (David Harbour) in ‘Violent Night,’ directed by Tommy Wirkola.
Yet when their party is rudely interrupted by a group of mercenaries led by John Leguizamo’s Ben – a gang who want to rob the family of the $300 million sitting in their vault – Santa will have to dish out some season’s beatings.
Expect a lot of Christmas puns in this one, which comes across as ‘Die Hard’ meets ‘Bad Santa’. While Harbour’s take on the character isn’t as badly behaved as Billy Bob Thornton’s, he’s certainly not your average, jolly Kris Kringle. This Santa knows how to fight.
With David Leitch – who became friends with Wirkola after running second unit and stunts for him on ‘Hansel & Gretel’ – producing alongside his partner Kelly McCormick and their 87North company, you know the combat scenes are going to be intense and inventive.
Boasting a host of Christmas decorations around to use as weapons, Santa will be dishing out rough justice to all those the naughty list, and even swapping out the usual lump of coal for a grenade down someone’s pants. Christmas lights, decorations and candy canes are all utilized to take out the baddies.
David Harbour in ‘Violent Night,’ directed by Tommy Wirkola.
Expect a load of references and Easter Eggs – though perhaps that should be Christmas baubles – to other festive films here, including ‘Home Alone’ and as mentioned above, ‘Die Hard’.
The tone is silly fun with a side order of furious chaos; after all, how many other films have Santa beating someone up with a sock filled with pool balls and then a joke about stepping in reindeer poop? You know what you did, Prancer.
With a script by ‘Sonic The Hedgehog’ franchise veterans Pat Casey and Josh Miller, ‘Violent Night’ will be in theaters on December 2nd. Always bet on red…
(L to R) David Harbour and director Tommy Wirkola on the set of ‘Violent Night.’(L to R) David Harbour and John Leguizamo on the set of ‘Violent Night.’
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While Disney is busy axing in-the-works projects from newly acquired 20th Century Fox, it’s going full steam ahead on rebooting some of Fox’s most popular films.
“We’re also focused on leveraging Fox’s vast library of great titles to further enrich the content mix on our [direct to consumer] platforms,” said Iger.
Whether those films will be reborn as feature films or TV series, we don’t yet know.
In addition to Disney’s “vault” offerings, new original “Star Wars” and Marvel series, there will be 300 hours of classic Fox content when Disney+ launches November 12.
