‘The Man With the Bag’ sets release date as Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Santa plans a heist
Prime Video has set a global streaming release date for 'The Man With the Bag,' bringing Arnold Schwarzenegger back to Christmas movies as Santa Claus. The holiday action comedy pairs him with 'Reacher' star Alan Ritchson. Its first trailer, released September 30, introduces a Santa who needs help from someone on his Naughty List. The film centers on Santa recruiting a thief to recover his stolen magic bag.
'The Man With the Bag' will begin streaming globally on Prime Video on December 2. In its announcement, Amazon shared the official synopsis which states, “When Santa’s (Schwarzenegger) iconic red bag is stolen by a rogue elf with a grudge (Awkwafina), Christmas is suddenly at risk. With his biggest night of the year fast approaching, Santa recruits a thief (Ritchson) from his ‘Naughty List’ who quickly assembles a crew of criminally skilled misfits—with a little help from elves and reindeer—to pull off the most unexpected heist of their lives.”
Ritchson’s character is named Vance. The teaser also gives Schwarzenegger a chance to revisit a line associated with his 'Terminator' movies. Dressed as Santa, he declares, “I’m back!” The release comes 30 years after 'Jingle All the Way,' his 1996 Christmas comedy. The new movie marks his first acting appearance in a film since 2019’s 'Terminator: Dark Fate.' His more recent acting work includes the second season of Netflix’s 'FUBAR.'
Ritchson joins the Christmas adventure after appearing in 'War Machine' and 'Runner,' alongside his continuing role in Prime Video’s 'Reacher.' The ensemble also includes Berkeley James, Michael Cyril Creighton, and Liza Koshy. Kyle Mooney, Jane Krakowski, and Ken Jeong round out the cast alongside Awkwafina.
Adam Shankman, whose directing credits include 'Hairspray,' directed the film from a screenplay by Allan Rice. Rice’s previous television work includes 'Stuck in the Middle' and 'Call Your Mother.' This is Shankman’s second movie of 2026, following 'Stop! That! Train!,' which reached theaters earlier in the year. Amazon’s announcement also describes the film’s themes as “Packed with holiday magic, big laughs, and plenty of heart, The Man with the Bag is a holiday heist adventure about second chances, unlikely friendships, and discovering that sometimes even Santa needs a little help delivering Christmas.”
