The first trailer for Violent Night 2 has been released, revealing David Harbour's return as a brutal Santa Claus who must save a shopping centre from a ruthless crime boss.
The sequel to the 2022 Christmas action comedy sees Santa stripped of his magic and having forgotten the true meaning of Christmas. Without his supernatural abilities, he is forced to rely on his fists, his wits and a belief that good can still win to defeat the criminals.
When the situation becomes desperate, he is joined by Mrs Claus, played by Kristen Bell. The character is described as the only person that even the most hardened criminals fear. Bell is known for her roles in the comedy Bad Moms, the mystery series Veronica Mars, the television show The Good Place and the series Nobody Wants This.
New cast members join Harbour
Harbour, widely known for his role as police chief Jim Hopper in the science fiction series Stranger Things and as the Red Guardian in the superhero film Thunderbolts, is joined by several new cast members for the sequel.
The supporting cast includes Joe Pantoliano, a veteran actor recognised for his roles in the crime drama The Sopranos and the post-apocalyptic series The Last of Us. Daniela Melchior, who appeared in the superhero film The Suicide Squad and the action blockbuster Fast X, also stars.
They are joined by Andrew Bachelor, known for his work in the disaster thriller Greenland and the zombie series The Walking Dead, and professional wrestler Maxwell Jacob Friedman, whose acting credits include the sports drama The Iron Claw and the comedy Happy Gilmore 2.
Norwegian filmmaker Tommy Wirkola returns to direct the sequel. Wirkola directed the original 2022 film, and his previous work includes the science fiction film Seven Sisters and the horror comedy Dead Snow.
Release date and original film success
The film is scheduled to be released in Ukrainian cinemas on 3 December 2026, according to the local distributor B&H Film Distribution Company.
The original Violent Night, released in December 2022, followed Santa Claus as he violently dispatched a group of mercenaries who had taken a wealthy family hostage on Christmas Eve.
The first film received generally positive reviews, holding a 74% approval rating from critics and an 88% audience score on the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, alongside a 6.7 rating on IMDb. On Metacritic, it received a score of 55 out of 100 from critics, indicating mixed or average reviews, and 6.6 out of 10 from audiences, which indicates generally positive feedback.
