NEW YORK (AP) — Arnold Schwarzenegger has traded his signature action hero look for a white beard and red coat on the set of “The Man With The Bag,” marking his return to holiday films after nearly three decades.
The 77-year-old actor was spotted filming in Manhattan, almost unrecognizable in full Santa Claus attire, complete with facial prosthetics and a festive Christmas sweater featuring a red pickup truck carrying a tree.
The Amazon MGM Studios film, directed by Adam Shankman from a script by Allan Rice, follows Santa as he enlists a former thief named Vance to help recover his stolen magic bag. The project represents Schwarzenegger’s first Christmas movie since 1996’s “Jingle All The Way” and his first film role since 2019’s “Terminator: Dark Fate.”
“The Man With The Bag” adds Schwarzenegger to the distinguished list of actors who have portrayed Santa Claus, including Ben Affleck, Tim Allen, and Kurt Russell.
The former California governor, who recently became a grandfather for the third time, has been selective with his film roles in recent years. He appeared in a Netflix documentary series about his life in 2023 and announced his retirement from the Terminator franchise, telling The Hollywood Reporter, “The franchise is not done. I’m done.”
The release date for “The Man With The Bag” has not yet been announced.
