With the summer movie season officially over and the holidays just around the corner, a new poster for Violent Night has been revealed via the film's official Twitter page, which showcases David Harbour (Stranger Things) as a grizzled take on Santa Claus.
The poster depicts an up-close shot of Harbour and his role as the iconic holiday figure as he appears with several cuts and scrapes across his face while staring menacingly into the eyes of the viewer with a flaming candy cane in his mouth. Above the poster features a signature line from the classic song, "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town," — "You better watch out" — signaling a more brutal take on the legend of Santa Claus. With a newly revealed poster, it's likely a trailer for the film is just around the corner.
Violent Night will center on a wealthy family as their home is invaded by a group of mercenaries on Christmas Eve. However, the night takes a violent turn as Santa Claus himself steps in to put a stop to the invasion. The film will be rated R, which likely indicates that audiences are in for some violent and brutal content involving jolly ol' Saint Nick, which will serve as a fun contrast to the typical cheerful and innocent depictions of the beloved holiday figure.
For those who have had their fill with lighthearted holiday content, Violent Night could serve as a fun alternative for viewers. Audiences won't have to wait too long for the holiday treat as the film is expected to debut this year, just in time for the holidays. Violent Night should serve as another fun film of the niche holiday genre following films such as Krampus, directed by Michael Dougherty, and the Black Christmas remake by Sophia Takal. While Violent Night isn't the first of its kind, Harbour's depiction of a brutal Santa Claus could be fun enough to win audiences over during the holiday season later this year.
Directed by Tommy Wirkola, who helmed memorable films such as Dead Snow and Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters, Violent Night is penned by Pat Casey and Josh Miller who wrote both Sonic the Hedgehog films. Alongside Harbour starring in the film as Santa Claus, Violent Night will also feature the appearances of John Leguizamo, Beverly D'Angelo, Alex Hassell, Alexis Louder, Edi Patterson, Cam Gigandet, and André Eriksen.
Violent Night will be released exclusively in theaters on December 2. Check out the official poster for the film alongside Collider's interview with Harbour about Black Widow and Stranger Things Season 4.
