Arnold Schwarzenegger Suits Up as Santa and Recruits Alan Ritchson for a Christmas Heist in ‘The Man With the Bag’ Trailer – Release Date Revealed

Some casting choices sound like a dare. Take one of the biggest action stars of all time, give him a red suit and a fluffy white beard, and see whether audiences are brave enough to buy it.

‘The Man With the Bag’ is that dare, and Prime Video has now put its first look on screen. The footage suggests the film knows exactly how ridiculous, and how fun, its premise is.

The new trailer for ‘The Man With the Bag’ shows Arnold Schwarzenegger as Santa Claus and Alan Ritchson as the thief he recruits to save Christmas. The holiday heist comedy arrives on Prime Video on Dec 2, 2026.

Naughty, meet Nice. #TheManWithTheBag premieres December 2. https://t.co/8vMRSAy7ZR

— Prime Video (@PrimeVideo) November 2, 2026

The setup is simple and silly. Santa’s iconic red bag, the one that holds the presents, is stolen by a rogue elf with a grudge, played by Awkwafina. With his biggest night of the year approaching, Christmas is suddenly at risk.

Instead of calling in the usual helpers, Santa turns to his Naughty List. He recruits Vance, a thief played by Ritchson, who quickly assembles a crew of criminally skilled misfits. With help from elves and reindeer, they set out to pull off the most unexpected heist of their lives.

The trailer leans into the contrast. In one moment, Santa is performing figure skating tricks on an ice rink in front of a stunned Vance. In another, Ritchson’s character, bundled up beside the sleigh, tells Santa he is going to need a minute.

The film arrives 30 years after Schwarzenegger starred in ‘Jingle All the Way.’ In that comedy, he played a desperate father hunting for the season’s hottest toy. Now he gets to play the man behind the presents.

The trailer even gives him a chance to revive one of his most famous catchphrases. The star has built a career on action roles, so the playful Santa is a deliberate change of pace.

Ritchson, meanwhile, brings some of his ‘Reacher’ muscle to a decidedly less serious assignment. He is also shooting the latest season of that hit series, so the film keeps him in the Prime Video spotlight. Nerdist joked that the trailer sees Santa asking Reacher to be naughty for him.

The ensemble goes well beyond the two leads. The cast also includes Berkeley James, Michael Cyril Creighton, Liza Koshy, Kyle Mooney, Jane Krakowski and Ken Jeong.

Adam Shankman directs, working from a script by Allan Rice. Shankman’s credits include ‘Hairspray,’ ‘The Wedding Planner,’ ‘What Men Want’ and ‘Disenchanted.’ Lawrence Grey, Ben Everard, Reg Tigerman, Dan Spilo and Ritchson produce.

That mix of comedy veterans and action stars points to a film aimed at the whole family. It is not a gritty heist, but a holiday caper built around big personalities.

The project has been building anticipation for a while. Amazon MGM announced the film in 2024, and the first set images appeared from a Manhattan shoot that December. Crews were later spotted filming on New York streets, including outside Veselka in January 2025.

Awkwafina’s casting followed in January 2025, rounding out the main trio. After a long wait, the film now has a firm release date and a proper trailer.

Prime Video has positioned it as a major holiday release, arriving worldwide on the same day. That is a notable push for a streaming original, especially one built on two well-known stars.

Holiday movies live or die on tone, and this one has plenty of promise. The idea of an unstoppable action icon in a Santa suit is funny on its face, and the heist structure gives the story momentum.

It also taps into nostalgia. Schwarzenegger’s earlier Christmas film remains a favorite for many viewers, and the new project invites a comparison without copying it.

Whether the finished film lives up to the trailer is still to be seen. For now, the footage suggests a lively, self-aware holiday romp.

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