Arnold Schwarzenegger returns to Christmas movies as Santa Claus in The Man with the Bag

30 years after battling Christmas shopping chaos in Jingle All the Way, Arnold Schwarzenegger is returning to festive comedy, only this time he’s playing Santa Claus himself. In The Man with the Bag, arriving on Prime Video on 2^nd December, the action star teams up with Reacher favourite Alan Ritchson for a Christmas adventure involving a stolen sack of presents, a gang of criminals and a rather unusual rescue mission.

The trouble begins when a disgruntled elf, played by Awkwafina, steals Santa’s magical bag, putting Christmas at risk just days before the big night. Desperate to get it back, Santa turns to his Naughty List and recruits Vance (Ritchson), a professional thief who knows a thing or two about stealing things.

Together with his daughter and a motley crew of criminals, Vance sets out to pull off the ultimate festive heist. With elves, reindeer and Santa himself joining the operation, the film gives the traditional Christmas rescue story an action-comedy twist.

Schwarzenegger and Ritchson are joined by a cast of familiar comedy faces, including The Hangover star Ken Jeong, 30 Rock actress Jane Krakowski, Liza Koshy, Kyle Mooney and Michael Cyril Creighton.

The film is directed by Adam Shankman, whose credits include Hairspray and The Wedding Planner, with a screenplay by Allan Rice. It brings together two actors better known for their action roles, placing them in a Christmas story where saving the day requires considerably more than delivering presents.

For anyone who grew up watching Schwarzenegger’s increasingly desperate search for a Turbo Man toy in Jingle All the Way, seeing him return to the festive genre as Father Christmas offers a fun reversal. This time, he’s the one responsible for making sure the presents arrive.

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The Man with the Bag is released nationwide on 2^nd December 2026.

Watch the trailer for The Man with the Bag here: