‘Violent Night 2’ Officially In Production

After the unexpected success of the first Violent Night, an action Die Hard style film that saw Santa protect a family from a home invasion, Violent Night 2 has officially now entered production.

Violent Night was an entertaining addition to the Christmas movie canon, blending holiday cheer with high-octane action and dark comedy. Directed by Tommy Wirkola (Dead Snow), the film reimagines Santa Claus as an unlikely action hero in the spirit of Die Hard, though without the same amount of charm, delivering a mix of festive spirit, tongue-in-cheek humor, and explosive thrills.

The screenplay was written by Pat Casey and Josh Miller, the duo behind Sonic the Hedgehog. Their script balances humor, action, and holiday related situations and goofs, crafting a story that feels fresh yet rooted in classic Christmas tropes. Wirkola’s direction brought a kinetic energy to the film, with action sequences that are as inventive as they are outrageous. Whilst there were lots of fun moments that utilised the festive aspects, a standout scene involved the group of criminals thrusting a knife into Santa’s sack, only to find it go through a ‘magical portal’. 

The movie follows a disillusioned Santa Claus, played by David Harbour (Stranger Things), as he stumbles into a hostage situation on Christmas Eve. A wealthy family is taken captive by a group of mercenaries led by the ruthless Mr. Scrooge (John Leguizamo), who are seeking a hidden fortune. Santa, caught in the crossfire, reluctantly becomes the hero of the night, taking on the mercenaries in a series of brutal and inventive fight sequences — often with the help of Christmas-themed weapons. Beneath the chaos, the movie carries a heartwarming message about belief, redemption, and the true meaning of Christmas, making it more than just a violent action flick.

Violent Night was a surprise hit, grossing over $76 million worldwide on a modest production budget of approximately $25 million. Its success can be attributed to multiple factors, but the main ones being that it had David Harbour as the main character, just off the back of his Stranger Things fame, alongside John Leguizamo, who will be mostly recognisable to a lot of the older generation. The positive reception following the film’s release also helped, with audiences mentioning the movie’s over-the-top fun and creative action sequences. Despite the box office acclaim, it actually found its biggest audience at home and the fanbase grew with time, which is why when the sequel was announced in early 2023, a lot of people were looking forward to seeing more.

After Harbour stated last week, in an interview with ComicBook, to “keep your eyes peeled”, fans knew that something was coming. And now, following this, an official image has been released revealing that production is in full swing and that shooting will begin very soon, meaning that audiences could expect to see our favourite violent Santa returning to the big screen as early as Christmas 2025, but you will have to stay tuned for the finalised date as it arrives.

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