With the holiday season now underway, we’re looking forward to titles including the Lindsay Lohan-led Falling For Christmas and the A Christmas Story sequel, A Christmas Story 2, to land on our screens and help spread some cheer. But many of us are keeping our eyes fixed on this time next year for the release of the Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans-led holiday action feature currently titled Red One. And today, the production has taken a major step forward as Deadline revealed that cameras have begun to roll on the star-studded holiday tale.
Along with the major filming chatter, a casting announcement is making a clatter. The report also announced that Academy Award-winning actor J.K. Simmons and Emmy nominee Bonnie Hunt will join the call sheet as Santa and Mrs. Claus, respectively. We’re loving the prospective chemistry between the two and the probable gruffness and dry wit that Simmons will bring to the jolly old Saint Nick. The duo join a previously announced lineup that includes Lucy Liu, Kiernan Shipka, Kristofer Hivju, Nick Kroll, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Wesley Kimmel, and, of course, Johnson and Evans.
Directed by Jake Kasdan (the Jumanji franchise), the Prime Video feature will be a holiday action flick that hopes to turn itself into a franchise. While specific details are being kept under wraps, we can expect classic holiday characters and storylines tied into a jet-setting, world-traveling tale of adventure. Everyone involved is playing their cards close to their chests with Evans giving us a tiny glimpse of pre-production happenings a few weeks back.
Along with the casting and filming announcement, a first-look photo was also shared featuring the two leading men standing side-by-side in a toy store filled to the brim with books, games, and figurines. Ready for whatever action awaits them, Johnson stands tall in a skin-tight black and red leather jacket and pants combo, while Evans dons a more relaxed brown and black layered look.
In the past, Johnson has worked with both Kasdan on the Jumanji franchise and screenplay writer Chris Morgan who holds credits on many of the Fast & Furious films including the Johnson led The Fate of the Furious and Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw. Red One’s original story was penned by Seven Bucks President of Production Hiram Garcia. Garcia also serves as a producer alongside Johnson and Dany Garcia for Seven Bucks Productions, The Detective Agency’s Kasdan and Melvin Mar, and Morgan under his Chris Morgan Productions. Ainsley Davies serves as executive producer for Chris Morgan Productions with The Detective Agency’s Sky Salem Robinson joining as co-producer.
As of right now, no release date for Red One has been set, but stay tuned to Collider for more information. Check out the first look image below and keep scrolling to catch a Collider interview with Johnson where he chats about his latest feature Black Adam, which is in theaters now.