Netflix didn’t wait very long into November to tease its splashy 2018 Christmas movie. On Thursday, the streaming service debuted the trailer for “The Christmas Chronicles,” which stars Kurt Russell as Santa Claus.
The holiday adventure movie hails from producer Chris Columbus (“Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone”), who knows a thing or two about Christmas classics. Yes, he’s the “Home Alone” Chris Columbus.
“The Christmas Chronicles” tells the story of sister and brother, Kate (Darby Camp) and Teddy Pierce (Judah Lewis), whose Christmas Eve plan to catch Santa Claus (Russell) on camera turns into an unexpected journey that most kids could only dream about, per Netflix. After staking out Santa’s arrival, they sneak into his sleigh, cause it to crash and nearly derail Christmas. As their wild night unfolds, Kate and Teddy work together with Santa and his loyal Elves to save Christmas before it’s too late.
“No one is better suited than Kurt Russell to bring our version of a rugged, charismatic, and hilarious Santa Claus to life,” director Clay Kaytis (“The Angry Birds Movie”) said in a statement accompanying the trailer. “From our first meeting, he completely threw himself into this iconic role – and grew an impressive beard in the process. It has been a dream come true to work with Kurt in creating what I believe will be the new definition of Santa Claus for generations to come.”
“Kurt is the definitive Santa Claus. Charismatic, tough when needed with a wicked sense of humor,” Columbus added. “We’re really excited for audiences to see his performance onscreen and hope ‘The Christmas Chronicles’ becomes a timeless classic.”
Watch the video above.
“The Christmas Chronicles” will launch globally on Netflix on Nov. 22.
15 Great Christmas Movies You Can Stream on Netflix Right Now (Photos)
The only reason people love this time of year is because it's now appropriate to binge watch a whole bunch of Christmas movies. So instead of wasting your time browsing for the best holiday movies, TheWrap's got you covered with 18 of our favorites.
"While You Were Sleeping"
One of Sandra Bullock's earlier films, she plays a lonely woman working for the Chicago Transit Authority and has a crush on a regular commuter. On Christmas day, she saves him from a tragic accident and accompanies him to the hospital where a nurse mistakes her for his fiancee.
Buena Vista Pictures
"White Christmas"
We couldn't leave out this Christmas classic. This romantic-comedy-musical involves two singing acts joining together to save a former commanding officer's failing inn in Vermont.
Paramount Pictures
"Bojack Horseman Christmas Special"
Bojack, as you'd expect, is not exactly a Christmas kind of guy. But, as you'd also expect from watching a million Christmas movies, he's not gonna stay that way. But this is still "Bojack Horseman" through and through so don't expect the same kind of shamltz you get from most other Christmas-themed things
Disney
"November Rule"
While this isn't, on its, face, your typical Christmas Holiday movie, it does involve a guy who breaks up with his girlfriend because of his self-declared November rule -- which means that every November he has to break up with the woman he's with to avoid the lovey attachment of the holidays. I think you can guess what kind of holiday turn this plot is gonna take.
Capitol Love
"Mickey's Magical Christmas"
You can never go wrong with Mickey and Christmas especially when the movie features pretty much all of the Disney characters from Donald Duck to Aladdin's Jafar.
Disney
"Marry Me for Christmas"
Most people dread the holidays because they don't want to be asked about who they're dating, when they're getting married/pregnant, etc. In this movie, a woman gets one step ahead of the game when she enlists her employee to pretend to be her fiancee to make her family happy.
UP
"Santa Buddies"
One of the few things better than Beethoven trying to save Christmas: Air Bud's puppies trying to save Christmas.
Disney
"12 Dates of Christmas"
A woman keeps reliving Christmas Eve, including a date with a man named Miles, over and over again. How horrible.
"Snow Day"
Every kid's dream: not having school because of a snow day. In this movie, kids try to stop a snowplow from cleaning up the streets to keep their school snowed in. It's not actually a Christmas movie, but all the snow should get you in the holiday spirit.
Paramount Pictures
"The Nightmare Before Christmas"
What began as a poem written by the quirky, horror film mastermind, Tim Burton, evolved into a stop-motion animated musical fantasy that is as dark as the title suggests. What else would you call a tale of a skeleton from Halloween Town accidentally slipping into a portal to Christmas Town?
Touchstone
"Bad Santa"
Bill Bob Thornton is the naughtiest of Santas in this comedy crime film costarring Bernie Mac, Lauren Graham and the late John Ritter. Thornton plays a con man who poses as a department store Santa so has can rob it on Christmas Eve. It doesn’t quite go as he plans.
Dimension Films
"Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas"
Jim Carrey’s rubbery mug was made for the role of Dr. Seuss’ infamous green grump who finds happiness in the misery of others during the holidays. The Ron Howard-directed film won an Oscar for makeup and was nominated for its art direction and costume design.
Imagine
"The Santa Clause"
In the first of a trilogy of “The Santa Clause” films, Tim Allen plays an inattentive father who inadvertently kills Santa and magically transforms into him to take his place.
Walt Disney Pictures
"A Christmas Prince"
An undercover reporter (Rose McIver) looking for a scoop on a handsome, eligible prince (Ben Lamb) thrown into the setting of a magical Christmas Eve ball. Fifty-three Netflix subscribers loved it so much that they watched it every day for 18 days straight — or so Netflix boasted.
Sometimes, we don't want cuddly sentimental Christmas movies with cute dogs and love stories. Sometimes, we just want to laugh.
In comes comedian Russell Peters with a Christmas special
Netflix
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A playlist of holiday films you can unapologetically binge watch from ”Bad Santa“ to ”The Nightmare Before Christmas“
The only reason people love this time of year is because it's now appropriate to binge watch a whole bunch of Christmas movies. So instead of wasting your time browsing for the best holiday movies, TheWrap's got you covered with 18 of our favorites.
Buena Vista Pictures
