Buoyed by positive critical and public reception, Universal’s action comedy Violent Night is poised to earn over $20 million at the global box office in its opening weekend. The film is playing in over 3,600 domestic theaters, and in 72 international markets.

With an estimated $13.3 million domestically and another $7 million from overseas markets, Violent Night is expected to hit $20.3 million in its first three days of release. That’s a solid result for a film produced on a reported budget of around $20 million, minus marketing costs. Starring David Harbour as a Viking-inspired Santa Claus, Violent Night is directed by Tommy Wirkola.

The film received a solid B+ CinemaScore from opening day audiences, which should bode well for its prospects during the holiday season, ahead of its debut on digital (presumably later this month). Praising the film’s darkly comedic tone and inventive set-pieces, Collider’s Marco Vito Oddo wrote in his review, “Despite an uneven rhythm caused by its mix of ultraviolence and sentimental Christmas messages, Violent Night is still a solid holiday flick with the potential to spawn a new franchise.”

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Image via Universal Pictures

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Violent Night also stars John Leguizamo (John Wick) as Scrooge, the leader of the mercenaries; Alex Hassell (Cowboy Bebop) as Jason Lightstone; Alexis Louder (The Tomorrow War) as Jason’s estranged wife, Linda, and Leah Brady (The Umbrella Academy) as their daughter, Trudy, who forms a heartfelt bond with Santa and provides him with vital assistance as he attempts to dispatch the intruders. Edi Patterson (The Righteous Gemstones) plays Alva Lightstone; Cam Gigandet (Without Remorse) plays Morgan Lightstone and Beverly D’Angelo (National Lampoon’s Vacation franchise) stars as the imperious Lightstone matriarch, Gertrude.

Violent Night is written by Sonic the Hedgehog scribes Pat Casey and Josh Miller. The Norwegian filmmaker Wirkola is best known for his horror-comedy films Dead Snow and its sequel, Dead Snow 2: Red vs. Dead. He made his Hollywood debut with Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, which defied poor reviews to gross over $225 million at the global box office.

You can watch our interview with Harbour here, and read the film’s official synopsis down below:

When a team of mercenaries breaks into a wealthy Lightstone family compound on Christmas Eve, taking everyone inside hostage, the team isn’t prepared for a surprise combatant: Santa Claus (David Harbour, Black Widow, Stranger Things series) is on the grounds, and he’s about to show why this Nick is no saint.