Film

WATCH: John Leguizamo Has Face Off With Santa (Yes, Santa) in ‘Violent Night’

Lead Photo: HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 27: John Leguizamo attends the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 27: John Leguizamo attends the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood and Highland on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by David Livingston/Getty Images)
Read more

Are you ready for Die Hard meets Santa? Home Alone meets John Wick? If you are, just wait until you see this trailer for Violent Night.

Violent Night stars David Harbour (Stranger Things) as old Saint Nick. In between delivering gifts, he’s taking his time and having a drink or two. Like every year, he thinks this night will be the same old routine: fly around the world, deliver presents, and probably step in Prancer’s poop. Things change when he inadvertently ends up in the middle of a heist led by John Leguizamo’s (The Menu, Encanto) character while delivering presents.

This is where Violent Night goes completely off the rails. Because when one of the bad guys comes after Santa, the jolly red man fights back! And since the little girl he’s delivering presents to is on the nice list and the bad guys are on the naughty, it’s time for Santa to pull his hair back, roll up his sleeves, and show them what this magical man can do. 

Hint: Violent Night really went and said, “From producers of Nobody and Bullet Train.” So you know it’s going to get violent, and Leguizamo will have a lot in his hands if he plans to transform into the Hans Gruber of this story and defeat Santa.

Directed by Tommy Wirkola (Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters)Violent Night’s trailer also paints the picture of a movie that knows how to mix humor with action and violence. And if the film is anywhere near as fun as the trailer is, this could become a holiday classic in no time. Because if there’s one thing we know, it’s that you do not mess with Santa Clause, and you do not mess with Santa on Christmas. 

John Leguizamo, Santa’s foe, has been a Hollywood mainstay since he first rose to fame in Super Mario Bros in 1993. His resume includes films in various styles, and he has been an activist for furthering Latine causes, such as co-founding NGL (Next-Generation Latinx) Collective. The collective aims to create content for Latinx audiences, as well as activism through his stand-up comedy special Latin History for Morons. 

Violent Night hits theaters on December 2, 2022.