By Jessica Wedemeyer
9:00pm PST, Dec 24, 2022
_
"Stranger Things" actor David Harbour stars as Santa Claus in the action-comedy film "Violent Night," which opens in theaters on Dec. 2, 2022. In the ultra-violent but uber-funny Christmas flick, Santa trades blows with a team of mercenaries as he attempts to deliver presents to a rare true believer at her ridiculously loaded family's Connecticut estate. To mark the movie's big debut, Wonderwall.com is taking a look back at Hollywood stars who've portrayed Santa on the big screen over the years.
Keep reading for more…
RELATED: Celebs who hate Christmas
_
Tim Allen starred as toy salesman Scott Calvin — who becomes the next Santa Claus after he accidentally kills his predecessor — in 1994's "The Santa Clause." The family comedy was a huge hit at the box office and went on to spawn two sequels and a Disney+ TV series: "The Santa Clauses," which debuted in November 2022.
RELATED: Holiday movie kids: Where are they now?
_
Kurt Russell starred as Santa Claus in the 2018 family comedy "The Christmas Chronicles," which sees Saint Nick teaming up with a pair of siblings to mend their fractured family while simultaneously saving Christmas. He returned to the role in a 2020 sequel: "The Christmas Chronicles 2." Kurt's real-life partner of four decades, Goldie Hawn, joined him in both movies as his on-screen love, Mrs. Claus.
RELATED: Celebs who were born on Christmas
_
The late, great Ed Asner had a supporting role as Santa Claus in 2003's "Elf." The hit comedy — which "sleighed" at the box office and with critics — centers around a human played by Will Ferrell who's adopted and raised by Santa's elves and later attempts to reconnect with his biological father.
_
Mel Gibson starred as a jaded version of Santa Claus in 2020's "Fatman." In the extremely dark action flick, Chris Kringle struggles to pay his bills in a modern world where children have become increasingly naughty. He then goes toe to toe with a hitman hired by a kid from the naughty list: a spoiled rich boy who received a lump of coal as his only gift the previous Christmas.
_
Oscar nominee Paul Giamatti portrayed Santa Claus in 2007's "Fred Claus." The comedy — which failed to impress critics and ultimately bombed at the box office in spite of its stellar cast — centers around Santa's big brother (Vince Vaughn) who shakes up the North Pole just before Christmas while visiting his family to ask for money for a get-rich-quick scheme.
_
Late "Jurassic Park" alum Richard Attenborough starred as Kris Kringle — a department store Santa Claus who just might be the real deal — in the 1994 remake of "Miracle on 34th Street." (English actor Edmund Gwenn won an Oscar for his performance in the original 1947 film.)
_
John Goodman starred as Santa Claus in NBC's 2006 made-for-TV movie "The Year Without a Santa Claus," which is based on the 1974 stop-motion animated TV special of the same name. The Christmas flick sees a disillusioned Santa taking a year off from his duties while Mrs. Claus and his elves attempt to restore his Christmas spirit.
_
Two-time Oscar nominee Charles Durning — who starred on "Rescue Me" from 2004 to 2011 — had a supporting role as Santa Claus in CBS's 1996 made-for-TV movie "Mrs. Santa Claus." (Michael Jeter, meanwhile, portrayed Santa's head elf.) The 1910-set musical centers around Angela Lansbury as Mrs. Claus, who winds up stranded in New York City — where she takes a stand against child labor while simultaneously championing women's suffrage — after she borrows and is subsequently forced to crash-land Santa's sleigh.
_
Honorable mention? Billy Bob Thornton scored a Golden Globe nomination for his work as Willie T. Soke — an alcoholic thief working as a mall Santa at the top of the naughty list — in 2003's "Bad Santa." He returned to the role in a 2016 sequel.
