Arnold Schwarzenegger and Alan Ritchson are teaming up for a high-stakes holiday heist in The Man with the Bag, a new action-comedy arriving on Prime Video this December. The film marks Schwarzenegger’s return to the Christmas genre for the first time in three decades, pairing the Terminator star with the Reacher lead for a story that blends seasonal magic with professional thievery.
The film, directed by Adam Shankman, centers on a crisis at the North Pole: Santa’s magic bag has been stolen. In a desperate move to save the holiday, Santa Claus (Schwarzenegger) looks to his “Naughty List” to recruit Vance (Ritchson), a professional thief. Vance is tasked with helping Santa track down the culprit and recover the bag before Christmas is ruined.
A Rogue Elf and an Ensemble Cast
The primary antagonist is a rogue elf with a long-standing grudge against Santa, portrayed by Awkwafina. The pursuit of the magic bag leads the unlikely duo through a series of action sequences that utilize the physical presence of both Schwarzenegger and Ritchson. While Schwarzenegger is known for his history in the genre with 1996’s Jingle All the Way, this project places him in a mentor-style role alongside Ritchson’s expert criminal character.
The supporting cast features a deep bench of comedic talent, including Ken Jeong, Jane Krakowski, Kyle Mooney, and Liza Koshy. Michael Cyril Creighton also joins the ensemble in a film that maintains a family-friendly PG rating and a runtime of approximately 111 minutes.
Streaming Exclusivity on Prime Video
Despite the star-heavy pairing of two major action icons, The Man with the Bag is skipping a traditional theatrical window. The film is scheduled to premiere globally on Prime Video on December 2, 2026. The project continues Alan Ritchson’s relationship with Amazon’s streaming platform, where he has found significant success with the Reacher series.
This film serves as Schwarzenegger’s first major foray into holiday movies since he played Howard Langston thirty years ago. In The Man with the Bag, the heist-oriented narrative moves away from the pure slapstick of his previous seasonal work, favoring a tone that bridges the gap between classic holiday tropes and modern action-comedies.
