EXCLUSIVE: Arnold Schwarzenegger is set to star in holiday family comedy The Man With The Bag, alongside Reacher star Alan Ritchson, we can reveal.
Silver screen icon Schwarzenegger hasn’t starred in a movie since 2019 when he shot Kung Fury 2 and he was last seen on the big screen in the same year in Terminator: Dark Fate. We understand this one is aiming to shoot later this year.
Adam Shankman (Hairspray) is directing the film, which hails from Amazon MGM Studios, from a script penned by Allan Rice.
The logline reads: “When Santa’s magic bag is stolen, he turns to his naughty list to find Vance, a former thief, to help him get it back. Along with his daughter, Santa, and a group of misfit elves, Vance will have to pull off the greatest heist of his life to save Christmas.”
No word yet on who is playing who but our assumption is that Schwarzenegger will play Santa.
Producers include Lawrence Grey, Ben Everard, Reg Tigerman, Dan Spilo, and Alan Ritchson.
Action hero, businessman, environmentalist, and former Governor Schwarzenegger last starred in a holiday comedy in 1996’s Jingle All The Way. As we revealed last year, the Terminator actor is also attached to star in action movie Breakout. Most recently he starred in Netflix’s 2023 series FUBAR. Kung Fury 2 has been in post since late 2019 following a legal dispute.
Ritchson is best known for starring in Amazon’s action series Reacher and DC’s Titans, and movies Fast X and Guy Ritchie’s upcoming The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.
Hollywood vet Shankman, the former dancer, choreographer and So You Think You Can Dance judge, is well known for directing a string of hit comedies including The Wedding Planner, Bringing Down The House, Hairspray and What Men Want. He most recently made Disenchanted for Disney.
Schwarzenegger is represented by UTA.
