# The Man with the Bag (film)
**The Man with the Bag** is a 2026 American holiday heist comedy directed by [Adam Shankman](https://www.edgepedia.org/adam-shankman), written by Allan Rice, and starring [Arnold Schwarzenegger](https://www.edgepedia.org/arnold-schwarzenegger) as [Santa Claus](https://www.edgepedia.org/santa-claus) and Alan Ritchson as Vance, a former thief Santa recruits from his naughty list after his magic bag of gifts is stolen.[1](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16995302/) • [2](https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/the-man-with-the-bag) It premieres globally on Prime Video on December 2, 2026.[3](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/the-man-with-the-bag-arnold-schwarzenegger-christmas-movie-prime-video)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director / writer | Adam Shankman (Hairspray); screenplay by Allan Rice (Stuck in the Middle)[3](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/the-man-with-the-bag-arnold-schwarzenegger-christmas-movie-prime-video) |
| Lead cast | Arnold Schwarzenegger as Santa; Alan Ritchson as Vance; Awkwafina as the rogue elf who steals the bag[3](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/the-man-with-the-bag-arnold-schwarzenegger-christmas-movie-prime-video) • [4](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/arnold-schwarzenegger-santa-this-years-prime-christmas-movie-hope-jingle-all-the-way-references) |
| Release | Prime Video, worldwide, December 2, 2026[3](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/the-man-with-the-bag-arnold-schwarzenegger-christmas-movie-prime-video) |
| Rating / runtime | PG (action and some suggestive references); 111 minutes[5](https://www.movieinsider.com/m21759/the-man-with-the-bag) |
| Filming | Manhattan, New York, December 2024 to March 2025[6](https://www.productionlist.com/production/the-man-with-the-bag) |
| Production | Amazon MGM Studios and Grey Matter Productions; producers Lawrence Grey, Ben Everard, Reg Tigerman, Dan Spilo, and Alan Ritchson[7](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16995302/companycredits/) • [6](https://www.productionlist.com/production/the-man-with-the-bag) |
## Plot
When Santa's iconic red bag is stolen by a rogue elf with a grudge ([Awkwafina](https://www.edgepedia.org/awkwafina)), Christmas is put at risk. With his biggest night of the year approaching, Santa turns to his naughty list and recruits Vance (Ritchson), a charming thief fresh out of prison who is trying to go straight and spend a crime-free Christmas with his family. Vance assembles a crew of criminally skilled misfits, with help from elves and reindeer, to pull off the heist that will recover the bag and save Christmas.[3](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/the-man-with-the-bag-arnold-schwarzenegger-christmas-movie-prime-video) • [6](https://www.productionlist.com/production/the-man-with-the-bag) Amazon describes the film as a holiday heist adventure about second chances and unlikely friendships.[3](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/the-man-with-the-bag-arnold-schwarzenegger-christmas-movie-prime-video)
## Production
**Development.** The project was announced in June 2023, with Reacher star [Alan Ritchson](https://www.edgepedia.org/alan-ritchson) attached to lead, Adam Shankman set to direct, and Allan Rice writing the script.[8](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16995302/news/) In March 2024 Arnold Schwarzenegger signed on to co-star as Santa, with [Amazon MGM Studios](https://www.edgepedia.org/amazon-mgm-studios) distributing.[8](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16995302/news/) The film entered pre-production in March 2024 and was completed by October 2025.[5](https://www.movieinsider.com/m21759/the-man-with-the-bag)
**Filming.** [Principal photography](https://www.edgepedia.org/principal-photography) took place in Manhattan, New York, scheduled from December 2024 to March 2025; first-look images of Schwarzenegger in costume as Santa appeared in the media in December 2024.[6](https://www.productionlist.com/production/the-man-with-the-bag) • [9](https://movies.fandom.com/wiki/The_Man_with_the_Bag/Production)
**Casting.** In January 2025, Awkwafina, Liza Koshy, Kyle Mooney, Ken Jeong, Michael Cyril Creighton, Adrian Martinez, Roger Bart, Jane Krakowski, and others were revealed as joining the cast.[10](https://inkbd.com/moviereviews/the-man-with-the-bag-2026-movie-guide/) [John Debney](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-debney) was hired to score the film in September 2025.[10](https://inkbd.com/moviereviews/the-man-with-the-bag-2026-movie-guide/)
## Release and promotion
Amazon announced the December 2, 2026 release date and a first-look image in May 2026, and released the official teaser trailer and poster on September 30, 2026.[10](https://inkbd.com/moviereviews/the-man-with-the-bag-2026-movie-guide/) The film streams exclusively on Prime Video; release dates of December 2, 2026 are listed for the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Hungary, Singapore, and Turkey.[5](https://www.movieinsider.com/m21759/the-man-with-the-bag) • [11](https://www.25thframe.co.uk/movies/the-man-with-the-bag/release-dates)
## Context in Schwarzenegger's career
The film marks Schwarzenegger's first starring role as Santa Claus and his return to the Christmas genre 30 years after *[Jingle All the Way](https://www.edgepedia.org/jingle-all-the-way)* (1996).[3](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/the-man-with-the-bag-arnold-schwarzenegger-christmas-movie-prime-video) It is also his first film release since *Terminator: Dark Fate* in 2019, a gap during which he moved into television with Netflix's *FUBAR*.[10](https://inkbd.com/moviereviews/the-man-with-the-bag-2026-movie-guide/) For Ritchson, it was his fourth starring role in a 2026 feature, following *[War Machine](https://www.edgepedia.org/war-machine-2026-film)*, *Runner*, and *Motor City*.[12](https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/lesson-alan-ritchson-learned-from-arnold-schwarzenegger-after-fans-crashed-movie-set)
## References
1. [The Man with the Bag (2026), IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16995302/)
2. [The Man with the Bag, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/uk/movie/the-man-with-the-bag)
3. [Arnold Schwarzenegger is Santa in Prime Video's 'The Man with the Bag' teaser trailer, About Amazon](https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/the-man-with-the-bag-arnold-schwarzenegger-christmas-movie-prime-video)
4. [Arnold Schwarzenegger Is Santa In This Year's Prime Christmas Movie, CinemaBlend](https://www.cinemablend.com/streaming-news/arnold-schwarzenegger-santa-this-years-prime-christmas-movie-hope-jingle-all-the-way-references)
5. [Everything You Need to Know About The Man With The Bag Movie (2026), Movie Insider](https://www.movieinsider.com/m21759/the-man-with-the-bag)
6. [The Man With The Bag, Production List](https://www.productionlist.com/production/the-man-with-the-bag)
7. [The Man with the Bag (2026) Company credits, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16995302/companycredits/)
8. [The Man with the Bag (2026) News, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt16995302/news/)
9. [The Man with the Bag/Production, Moviepedia](https://movies.fandom.com/wiki/The_Man_with_the_Bag/Production)
10. [The Man with the Bag (2026): Everything to Know, inkbd](https://inkbd.com/moviereviews/the-man-with-the-bag-2026-movie-guide/)
11. [The Man With the Bag Release Dates, 25thframe.co.uk](https://www.25thframe.co.uk/movies/the-man-with-the-bag/release-dates)
12. [The Lesson Alan Ritchson Learned From Arnold Schwarzenegger, CinemaBlend](https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/lesson-alan-ritchson-learned-from-arnold-schwarzenegger-after-fans-crashed-movie-set)
---
*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Action and adventure films (individual works) › Action comedies › Action comedies, 2020s*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 20, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license