Following the success of its first season, Disney+ has officially given a renewal to The Santa Clauses, the sequel series to the hit film trilogy from the 1990s and 2000s. The series, which stars Tim Allen as Scott Calvin/Santa Claus, and Elizabeth Mitchell as his wife, Carol/Mrs Claus - both reprising their roles from the original trilogy - sees Scott contemplating retirement from the role after almost thirty years in the job.
Allen first took on the role in 1995's The Santa Clause, in which he starred as a self-important toy-maker and businessman, who was separated from his ex-wife and son. One evening, following an accident on his roof, he finds himself thrust into the role of Santa Claus, initially against his wishes before embracing the responsibility.
Mitchell joined the franchise in the sequel, The Santa Clause 2, in which she played the principal of Scott's son, Charlie (Eric Lloyd). In the film, Scott attempts to successfully court in order to secure a wife before he loses the role of Santa Claus in a race against time, eventually winning her over with the magic of Christmas and some old-fashioned charm.
Disney has described season one with this synopsis:
In season one of The Santa Clauses, Scott Calvin returns after being Santa Claus for nearly thirty years, and he’s as jolly as ever. But as Christmas declines in popularity, so does his Santa magic. Scott struggles to keep up with the demands of the job, as well as being there for his family. Upon discovering there is a way to retire from his post, Scott considers stepping down as Santa Claus and finding a worthy successor so that he can become a better father and husband.
“This franchise has had a lasting impact for so many families, truly becoming part of their annual holiday traditions,” said Ayo Davis, president of Disney Branded Television. “Bringing it back as a series has been a true gift, and I’m grateful to our producing partners at 20th Television and, of course, Tim Allen and team, that we have yet another reason to celebrate this holiday season.”
The limited series was announced as a legacy sequel in January 2022, and began filming in March before concluding swiftly in June. The show is executive produced by Jack Burditt (30 Rock, Modern Family, Frasier, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt) and Allen, alongside Kevin Hench, Richard Baker, Jason Winer and Jon Radler, all of whom return in their roles for the second season.
The Santa Clause franchise was highly popular, well received generally, and a huge financial hit for Disney with the three films returning almost $500 million at the box office. In addition, the films have become a holiday staple across the world, regularly playing on television during the holiday season.
You can check out the trailer for Season 1 of The Santa Clauses down below.