Photo credit: Prime
Arnold Schwarzenegger is trading action heroes for Santa Claus. The actor stars as the legendary holiday figure in The Man With the Bag, a new Christmas heist comedy coming to Prime Video.
The film premieres globally on December 2, 2026, giving audiences a new holiday adventure just in time for the Christmas season.
Arnold Schwarzenegger takes on Santa Claus
The Man With the Bag marks Schwarzenegger’s return to the Christmas genre after 30 years. This time, he plays Santa Claus himself.
The story begins when Santa’s iconic red bag goes missing. A rogue elf steals the bag after developing a grudge against Santa.
With Christmas at risk, Santa needs help. He turns to Vance, a thief who appears on his Naughty List.
Vance then assembles a crew of skilled misfits. Together, they prepare for an unusual Christmas Eve heist.
The group also receives help from elves and reindeer. Their mission becomes a race against time to save Christmas.
Alan Ritchson joins the Christmas heist
Alan Ritchson stars alongside Schwarzenegger as Vance, the thief Santa recruits for the mission.
The cast also features Berkeley James, Michael Cyril Creighton, Liza Koshy, Kyle Mooney and Jane Krakowski.
Ken Jeong and Awkwafina also join the cast.
Awkwafina plays the rogue elf who steals Santa’s bag. Her actions put Christmas in danger and set the main adventure in motion.
The film combines action, comedy and holiday themes. It also explores second chances and unexpected friendships.
Adam Shankman directs The Man With the Bag
Adam Shankman directs The Man With the Bag from a script by Allan Rice.
The production team includes Lawrence Grey, Ben Everard, Reg Tigerman, Dan Spilo and Alan Ritchson.
The filmmakers describe the movie as a holiday heist adventure. The story mixes Christmas magic with a criminal crew and a high-stakes mission.
The result puts a festive spin on the classic holiday movie formula.
Watch The Man With the Bag teaser
The new teaser trailer gives audiences a first look at Schwarzenegger as Santa Claus.
The footage also introduces the film’s Christmas heist setup. Santa must recover his stolen bag before his biggest night of the year arrives.
The film runs for 111 minutes and carries a PG rating.
The Man With the Bag premieres globally on Prime Video December 2, 2026.
For Schwarzenegger, the film marks a return to the Christmas genre with a very different kind of role. Instead of saving the world as an action hero, he must save Christmas as Santa Claus.
Source: Amazon MGM Studios / Prime Video
About the Author
