Arnold Schwarzenegger has booked his next role. He’ll be starring in “The Man With the Bag,” scheduled to shoot later this year, with the film labeled as a holiday family comedy co-starring Alan Ritchson, known for his work in the series “Reacher.”
The occasion marks for Schwarzenegger’s first film since 2019, when he starred in “Terminator: Dark Fate.”
While details about the roles have yet to be released, it’s expected that Schwarzenegger will play Santa. “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,” reads the film’s logline, per Deadline. Ritchson will likely play the role of Vance.
“The Man With the Bag” marks Schwarzenegger’s second holiday film. In 1996, he starred in “Jingle All The Way,” where he played a mattress salesman engaged in a last minute Christmas shopping rivalry with a fellow dad, with both hoping to acquire the latest trendy toy in the market.
Schwarzenegger’s comeback to films
“The Man With the Bag” will be directed by Adam Shankman, known for his work in films like “Hairspray,” “The Wedding Planner,” and more. It marks an exciting comeback for Schwarzenegger to the big screen. While last year he premiered his Netflix series “Fubar,” Schwarzenegger was last on a film set in 2019, while shooting “Kung Fury 2,” which has faced various delays and has yet to find a release date. That same year, Schwarzenegger starred in “Terminator: Dark Fate,” which reunited him with his “Terminator” co-star Linda Hamilton.