The raunchy R-rated comedyBad Santa, was a sleeper hit at the 2003 Christmas box office, and even spawned a 2016 sequel, so why isn’tBad Santa 3happening? When it hit theaters over 20 years ago,Bad Santawas a big middle finger to the sweet holiday movies that celebrated the spirit of Christmas. Whereas 2003 also saw the release ofElf, afamily-friendly Christmas moviestarring Will Ferrell as the wholesome, optimistic Buddy, Billy Bob Thornton’s Willie T. Stokes was a foul-mouthed, hard-drinking mall Santa. It was the actor in his peak scoundrel era.
It turns out that Thornton’s sleazy Santa was the perfect gift for audiences, andBad Santawent on to gross over $76 million at the worldwide box office (viaBox Office Mojo). This led to a sequel, and though it took 13 years, 2016 saw the release ofBad Santa 2. In this installment, Thornton’s Willie reteams with his partner in crime, Marcus (Tony Cox), to rob a charity on Christmas Eve. With Thornton becoming the unexpected face of a Christmas movie franchise,Bad Santa 3seems like the natural next step, but it likely won’t happen.
Unfortunately,Bad Santa 2couldn’t capture the cynical Christmas magic quite like the original, and the sequel wound up with a lump of coal in its stocking from both critics and audiences. Whereas the firstBad Santaearned a respectable 78% onRotten Tomatoes,Bad Santa 2received an abysmal 23%, with the pundits dinging it for being a cheap retread of the first film, minus the heart and originality. Moviegoers agreed, andBad Santa 2grossed a measly $24 million (viaBox Office Mojo), not even earning back its budget.
$76,490,995
$23,000,000
$24,079,268
$26,000,000
With its poor box office showing,Bad Santa 3is all but an impossibility, which is a shame for fans of the movies, asBilly Bob Thornton shared that he enjoyed making the Christmas filmsand would be game to do another one. PromotingBad Santa 2in 2016, Thornton gave an interview toEW, where he said of theBad Santamovies, “I love both of them, I really do. “And if people go see [Bad Santa 2], then maybe we’ll make another one.” Unfortunately, peopledidn’tgo seeBad Santa 2, and this was the last Thornton has publicly commented on a potentialBad Santa 3.
However, all hope for aBad Santa 3isn’t lost. It took over a decade sinceBad Santa’s 2003 release for a sequel to arrive.It’s only been eight years sinceBad Santa 2came out, so a third film could very well get made. Stranger Christmas miracles have happened.
Violent Night, Red One & Fred Claus Offer Alternatives To The Traditional Jolly Saint Nick
While Billy Bob Thornton may not be putting the red suit back on anytime soon, there are plenty of other Christmas movie alternatives for those looking for a harder take on the cherubic holiday icon. One option is the recently released Christmas action-comedyRed One, starring Dwayne Johnson, Chris Evans, andJ.K. Simmons as a jacked Santa Claus.Red Onemay not have the R-rated laughs ofBad Santa, but it’s got some fun action thrillsfor audiences looking to avoid holiday sappiness.
Violent Night 2: Cast, Story & Everything We Know
The unorthodox Christmas movie turned heads back in 2022, and it has been confirmed that Violent Night 2 is already in the works.
Those wanting to lean into hard R-rated Christmas movies should definitely check outViolent Night(2022), in whichStranger Things' David Harbour plays his version of a “bad Santa”, only this one sees St Nick kicking butt instead of robbing malls. The film isn’t for the faint of heart, so for audiences looking for their cynical holiday movies to be a bit less blood-soaked, 2007’sFred Clausis a perfect choice. It seesVince Vaughn play Santa’s (Paul Giamatti) titular ne’er-do-well older brother, who’s essentially a PG-13 version of Thornton’s Willie T. Stokes, makingFred Clausthe perfect movie to watch in lieu ofBad Santa 3.
Bad Santa 2
Cast
Directed by Mark Waters, 2016’s Bad Santa once again stars Billy Bob Thornton as a down-on-his-luck and rather crass man that finds himself working a con with an old associate.
Bad Santa
Bad Santa revolves around Willie T. Stokes and Marcus Skidmore, professional thieves who disguise themselves as a mall Santa Claus and his elf during the holiday season with the plan to rob them at the end of the shopping season. Their latest job becomes complicated when Willie, already struggling from alcoholism, sex addiction and frequently swearing, begins forming an odd friendship with dimwitted Thurman Merman, dating local bartender Sue and coming under the watchful eye of the latest target mall’s head of security, Gin Slagel.
Red One
After Santa Claus is kidnapped, the North Pole’s Head of Security (Dwayne Johnson) must team up with a notorious bounty hunter (Chris Evans) in a thrilling, globe-spanning mission to save Christmas. This action-packed holiday adventure mixes comedy and festive magic, with an ensemble cast that includes Lucy Liu and J.K. Simmons.
Violent Night
David Harbor dons the silk red coat and hat of Santa Claus in Violent Night, a black comedy Christmas action film by director Tommy Wirkola. A group of mercenaries lays siege on the property of a wealthy family on Christmas Eve in hopes of scoring a self-bestowed gift of $300 million, leaving Santa Claus as the unlikely but capable last line of defense. Though the family themselves may not be perfect, the youngest daughter remains a kind-hearted child. With her help, and a unique repertoire of magical skills and tools at his disposal, Santa will double-check his naughty and nice list as he dispenses his own brand of justice to the assailants.
Fred Claus
Fred Claus is a 2007 comedy film directed by David Dobkin, featuring Vince Vaughn as Fred Claus, the estranged and troublemaking brother of Santa Claus. The film explores familial dynamics and holiday spirit as Fred is reluctantly enlisted by Santa (Paul Giamatti) to help save Christmas. The cast also includes Kevin Spacey, Elizabeth Banks, and Rachel Weisz.
