Santa usually checks the naughty list to decide who isn’t getting presents. In The Man With the Bag, he’s checking it for someone with a very particular set of criminal skills. Desperate times, apparently.
Arnold Schwarzenegger returns to the Christmas genre after 30 years, this time playing Santa Claus himself. The holiday heist adventure premieres globally on Prime Video on December 2, 2026, pairing Schwarzenegger with Alan Ritchson for a mission that requires considerably more than Christmas cheer.
When a rogue elf with a grudge, played by Awkwafina, steals Santa’s iconic red bag, the biggest night of his year is suddenly in jeopardy. With Christmas approaching, Santa turns to his naughty list and recruits Vance, a thief played by Ritchson, to help recover it.
There’s something delightfully messy about Santa having to admit that the person best equipped to save Christmas is someone he would ordinarily leave off the gift delivery route.
Vance assembles a crew of criminally skilled misfits, with his daughter joining the adventure and a little assistance coming from elves and reindeer. Together, they’ll have to pull off the greatest heist of his life. No pressure, but an entire holiday is riding on this one.
The premise gives the familiar save-Christmas story an action-comedy twist. Instead of simply finding more holiday spirit, this crew needs a plan, the skills to execute it, and presumably the ability to keep Santa out of trouble along the way. With Schwarzenegger and Ritchson leading the cast, we’re curious to see how much muscle goes into recovering that bag.
Schwarzenegger’s return also gives longtime holiday movie fans something to celebrate. Three decades after Jingle All the Way, he’s stepping into the red suit for a story that puts him at the center of the Christmas chaos.
Joining Schwarzenegger, Ritchson, and Awkwafina are Berkeley James, Michael Cyril Creighton, Liza Koshy, Kyle Mooney, Jane Krakowski, and Ken Jeong.
Adam Shankman directs from a screenplay by Allan Rice. Producers include Lawrence Grey, Ben Everard, Reg Tigerman, Dan Spilo, and Ritchson.
Alongside its heist antics, The Man With the Bag centers on second chances and unlikely friendships. Recruiting someone from the naughty list gives Vance an opportunity to do some good, even if the assignment calls for the skills that probably landed him there in the first place.
We’ll find out whether this crew can deliver when The Man With the Bag arrives on Prime Video on December 2. Until then, Santa might want to reconsider his bag security.
