Amazon MGM Studios is working hard against other studios and streaming services to get ahead in the highly competitive Christmas genre. With Netflix taking over the rom-com genre, Amazon has decided to test out the action comedy genre and, following the success of Red One, he’s bringing Arnold Schwarzenegger and Alan Ritchson for a new project.

In a first-look photo shared on Instagram, the popular Terminator actor and the Reacher star suited up for the upcoming holiday comedy The Man with the Bag as the film started production. Schwarzenegger is hardly a newcomer to the genre after his 1996 family comedy Jingle All the Way, but it’s been a while since the actor took a role in a holiday-themed movie. The project was first announced in June 2023, with the Reacher actor set to star in the family comedy, with Schwarzenegger joining The Man With the Bag in March 2024.

“Santa Claus is coming to town!” Schwarzenegger announced on social media next to the photo of him donning a red long coat and the classic Santa style of white hair and matching beard.

“It is fantastic to be shooting The Man with the Bag with [Alan Ritchson]. Our director [Adam Shankman] is one of the funniest directors I’ve worked with, New York City is an amazing host, working with [Amazon MGM Studios] is a joy, and I can’t wait to share all of this Christmas cheer with each and every one of you.”

I can’t wait to share all of this Christmas cheer with each and every one of you.

The movie comes from comedy director Adam Shankman, who previously helmed titles like 2012’s Rock of Ages, 2007’s Hairspray, and 2001’s The Wedding Planner. The film will be Schwarzenegger’s first feature role in five years, bringing Ritchson back on the screen after starring in Guy Ritchie’s 2024 film, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.

The logline for the film isn’t unlike Dwyane Johnson and Chris Evans’ recent streaming hit, Red One, but here, Santa directly teams up with a person on the Naughty list: “When Santa’s magic bag is stolen, he turns to his naughty list to find Vance, a former thief, to help him get it back. Along with his daughter, Santa, and a group of misfit elves, Vance will have to pull off the greatest heist of his life to save Christmas.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Christmas Movie Was a Big Hit

Released on Nov. 22, 1996, Jingle All the Way marked the action hero’s first holiday-themed film. He played Howard Langston, a father trying to find a sold-out toy for his son in time for Christmas. Although the movie received mixed reviews, it was a big success at the box office.

With a generous budget of $60 million, Jingle All The Way earned back its investment and then some. It grossed its budget in the U.S. alone with $60.5 million, adding $69.2 million from international markets to a total of $129.8 million (via The Numbers). The film currently holds negative scores on Rotten Tomatoes from both critics and the audience, with only 20% from the former and 41% from the audience.

Jingle All the Way is streaming on Prime Video, the same service that will host the upcoming The Man With the Bag, which doesn’t have a release date yet.