Social media users recently
marveled at the 20th anniversary of three modern Christmas favorites, Elf, Love
Actually, and Bad Santa, all hitting theaters within weeks of each other.
However, contemporary trends suggest a departure from the traditional release
of holiday theatrical offerings.
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| 'Spirited,' 'Candy Cane Lane' and 'Family Switch' were all made for streaming in recent years |
While Christmas films no longer consistently dominate the box office for extended periods, as exemplified by Home Alone's 12-week reign in 1990, they were still a regular feature on the release calendar until the late 2010s. Notable titles in this era included Almost Christmas, Bad Santa 2, Office Christmas Party, and Why Him? in 2016, followed by Daddy's Home 2, A Bad Moms Christmas, and The Star in 2017. The subsequent year brought The Nutcracker and the Four Realms, Once Upon a Deadpool, and the animated The Grinch.
Around the advent of streaming
platforms, holiday films shifted from being a theatrical priority for studios.
An example is Disney's Noelle, originally slated for a theatrical release in
2019 but redirected to Disney+ that year. In 2023, streaming platforms have
become the primary destination for holiday content.
This year, Amazon experienced
success with the Eddie Murphy film Candy Cane Lane, touted as its most-watched
film during its debut weekend. The platform is actively seeking more Christmas
movie pitches from its creative partners. Netflix's Family Switch and Best
Christmas Ever! both performed well on its self-reported Top 10 charts, while
traditional television channels like Hallmark continue thriving with
Christmas-centric romantic comedies.
Sony Pictures Motion Picture Group president Sanford Panitch highlighted the shift, stating, "The studios aren't going to make Christmas comedies if there are six Christmas comedies on a streaming platform. So [our strategy is] partly about finding the spaces that are theatrical and not feeling that there's something that someone can get at home for free."
An exception this year is the Oscar
contender The Holdovers, acquired by Focus Features at the Toronto Film
Festival, which has enjoyed a traditional theatrical run before heading to
Peacock.
Filmmaker Sean Anders shares that
Spirited, Apple TV+'s 2022 update of A Christmas Carol starring Ryan Reynolds
and Will Ferrell, received offers from multiple legacy studios before landing
at the streaming platform. The film had a select theatrical release a week
before its streaming debut, prioritizing the theatrical experience. Anders
emphasizes, "It is best experienced
on a big screen with amazing sound and, most importantly, other audience
members, so I was emphatic that it be released theatrically." Spirited
returned to cinemas last month.
The shift away from Christmas films hitting theaters might be surprising, considering that holiday classics can be a significant gift for exhibitors. Elf, for instance, has become the biggest all-time repertory title for Alamo Drafthouse. Business for the movie has increased by 20 percent this year over recent ones as viewers celebrate its 20th anniversary with eventized screenings that include interactive elements and props.
John Smith, senior film programmer
for the chain, notes that Elf was initially a modest box office success before
growing in subsequent years. He highlights the value of holiday classics, such
as National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, White Christmas, and It’s a Wonderful
Life, as consistent performers. The Alamo roster also includes 2006’s The
Holiday, added more recently, with Smith emphasizing the importance of
introducing one or two new ones to gauge audience interest. Smith adds that if
Netflix creates a cult film enjoyed for years to come, Alamo Drafthouse would
likely be able to attract an audience for it as a repertory title.
Future holiday seasons might witness an increase in theatrical choices as certain streaming platforms aim to capitalize on the appeal of enjoying holiday films as a social outing. Amazon MGM Studios, for instance, announced that the Jake Kasdan-directed Christmas-centric action title, Red One, starring Dwayne Johnson and Chris Evans, will have a worldwide theatrical run starting in November 2024 before streaming on Prime Video at a later date. Holiday films with grittier elements, like 2022’s Violent Night and this year’s It’s a Wonderful Knife, have also secured theatrical releases, although they may not be entirely family-friendly.
This shift toward more time in
theaters for holiday streaming titles could be well-received. Filmmaker McG,
who directed Netflix's body-swap comedy Family Switch set during Christmas,
starring Jennifer Garner and Ed Helms, sees the movie as one that can be
enjoyed year-round, given its broader focus beyond Christmas. He acknowledges
that studio heads carefully evaluate all factors when deciding on the
theatrical release strategy.
McG, discussing Family Switch, mentions that the decision to pursue a theatrical release was influenced by the perceived resonance in the theatrical landscape, especially with the absence of immediate competition. He notes that the typical holiday season features one or two juggernauts, but in this case, the opportunity presented itself. While recognizing Netflix's core business model, he emphasizes the unique scenario that allowed for a theatrical release, stating, "They want people to realize, if you want to enjoy that great Jen Garner movie, you have to subscribe."
Regardless of how people choose to
enjoy holiday entertainment, the genre's appeal remains strong, possibly driven
by the audience's desire for an escape from the stress of contemporary times.
Filmmaker Sean Anders suggests that film historians might connect the surge in
Christmas movie production over a decade to the world events of the time,
creating a perfect correlation.
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