Alan Ritchson and Arnold Schwarzenegger Team Up for Holiday Heist Movie Release Date and First Look Revealed

Prime Video has officially announced the release date and first look for ‘The Man with the Bag’, the upcoming holiday action comedy featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger and Alan Ritchson.

According to Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, the film is set to premiere globally on December 2. This announcement was made during the company’s upfront presentation in New York, where the first images from the movie were unveiled.

The film offers a unique twist on traditional Christmas tales by placing Santa Claus at the heart of a thrilling heist adventure. Schwarzenegger portrays Santa, who finds himself in a predicament after his magical bag of presents is stolen. To retrieve it, he enlists the help of a thief named Vance, played by Ritchson, who is unfortunately on Santa’s naughty list.

First look at Arnold Schwarzenegger as Santa Claus in Adam Shankman’s ‘THE MAN WITH THE BAG’.

The film follows Santa Claus as he enlists the help of a petty criminal after his sack of presents is stolen.

Releasing December 2 on Prime Video. pic.twitter.com/E5NZn5IKNI

— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) May 12, 2026

The narrative follows Santa, Vance, Vance’s daughter, and an eclectic group of misfits as they embark on a perilous mission to save Christmas before it’s too late.

Directed by Adam Shankman, known for ‘Hairspray’ and ‘Disenchanted’, the screenplay is penned by Allan Rice.

The cast also features Awkwafina, Liza Koshy, Kyle Mooney, Jane Krakowski, and Ken Jeong, with Michael Cyril Creighton and Berkeley James rounding out the ensemble.

Filming took place in Manhattan in late 2024, with Schwarzenegger and Ritchson spotted shooting scenes in New York City during December, while additional cast members joined the project in early 2025.

The film has a runtime of 111 minutes and is rated PG. It also marks Schwarzenegger’s return to holiday comedies, a genre that many fans fondly associate with his earlier family-friendly films. For Ritchson, this project continues his successful collaboration with Prime Video following the hit series ‘Reacher’.

With a blend of Christmas chaos, action, comedy, and an unexpected alliance between Santa Claus and a criminal, ‘The Man with the Bag’ is poised to become one of Prime Video’s standout holiday releases of 2026.

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