Deck the Halls With Wrestlers at Christmas
Wrestling and the holiday season have always gone hand in hand. Who can forget all the end-of-year Christmas recap specials, Xanta Klaus, or really anything involving Mick Foley. Just as Jingle Bells ring 1-2-3, somehow wrestlers always seem to find their way into some of the holiday’s best, worst, and mostly forgettable Christmas films.
Every film mentioned here has an average score based on its available metrics (mostly IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes) and has been ranked one through five. In addition we have a couple of honourable mentions, quite a few dishonourable mentions because Santa With Muscles exists and a few surprising ones rated higher than you’d expect entirely because Miz is in them and who knew?
So get your cocoa, cookies and anything else that’s not superglued down that is throwable you might want hurl at me and let’s unwrap the worst and best holiday films featuring professional wrestlers.
Warning: Light spoilers ahead.
Dishonourable Mentions
Movies are entirely subjective, but it’s hard to argue with low scores. Here’s a rundown the aisle decked with holly of the worst films that probably exist and might cause you to tap out before the runtime ends.
Santa With Muscles: Starting off strong with Hulk Hogan and Ed Leslie (Brutus Beefcake), this 1996 disaster follows a self-absorbed millionaire named Blake Thorn (Hogan) who, after a paintball session, is chased down by local police for speeding, and ends up disguised as a mall Santa. The police find him there and give chase until he evades them again via a garbage chute. However, a mall employee discards a Christmas display down the chute that hits Thorn and he suffers memory loss. Now mistaken for the real Santa Claus, he becomes unexpectedly involved in the lives of a struggling orphanage and its remaining children, who are threatened by a ruthless scientist named Ebner Frost who is intent on taking their home. As he grows closer to the kids and embraces his new role, the unlikely Santa begins standing up to corruption and danger, discovering a more generous side of himself along the way. Joining Hogan on this holiday bash are Leslie, who plays a character named “Sumo Lab Assistant,” with the cast anchored by Clint Howard, Mila Kunis, Brenda Song, Ed Begley Jr., Garrett Morris and Robin Curtis. Average Review Score: 2.86/10 (based off IMDB, three reviews and the Popcornmeter).
Jingle All the Way 2: A sequel we probably didn’t need? Yeah, probably. This is the sequel to the slightly better prequel starring Larry the Cable Guy as Larry Phillips, and features Santino Marella as a character named Claude. Jingle All the Way 2 follows Larry, a well-meaning truck driver competing with his wealthy ex-wife’s new husband, Victor, to win the affection of his eight-year-old daughter Noel at Christmas. After secretly reading Noel’s letter to Santa, Larry believes she wants the season’s hottest toy and becomes locked in a frantic rivalry with Victor, who uses his vast resources to buy up every last one to block Larry at every turn. As their feud escalates they are forced to confront each other, their behavior and priorities. In the end, they discover that Noel never truly cared about the toy at all. What she truly wished for was her fractured family to come together at Christmas. One could call the ending… a heartfelt (straight-to-DVD) holiday miracle. Average Review Score: 3.45/10 (based off IMDB, the Popcornmeter, and a single review).
Santa’s Little Helper: Somehow, this is where the dishourables metrically get better. The 2015 WWE Studios film stars three then-WWE mainstays in The Miz, Maryse Mizanin and Paige/Saraya and follows Dax, a greed-driven corporate enforcer facing personal ruin. Played by Miz, Dax finds himself unexpectedly entangled with the magical North Pole. After being fired and on the brink of losing everything, he is unexpectedly tested by Billie, a kind-hearted elf tasked by Santa to evaluate him for a role as Santa’s Little Helper. Through a series of humorous and challenging trials that also spark a budding romance with Billie, Dax begins to rediscover his lost goodwill toward humankind. Ultimately, even though he loses the formal competition to Eleanor (Paige/Saraya), Dax’s brave act of stealing a magic bell to save a community youth centre leads to a redemption arc that not only saves the centre but also transforms him from a Grinch-like heel to jolly old St. Mizcholas. Santa’s Little Helper also stars Eric Keenleyside as Santa Claus. Average Review Score: 4.13/10 (based off IMDB, Prime Video and Popcornmeter)
Jingle All The Away: You have to admit, as bad as this can be, it somehow works as an atypical Christmas movie. Definitely better than its sequel, the original follows the same basic formula as its sequel to teach the meaning of the holiday season. The 1996 movie stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as Howard Langston, a workaholic who runs a Minnesota-based mattress company. In the same vein as Tim Allen’s Santa Clause, Howard struggles to balance his professional responsibilities and his family’s expectations during Christmas. Determined to redeem himself after missing most of his son Jamie’s major milestones, Howard embarks on a misadventurous fetch quest to secure a coveted Turbo Man action figure for Jamie, leading him into confrontations with a rival postal worker (Sinbad), repeated run-ins with the law, and a chaotic run-in with con artists dressed as Santas selling knock-off Turbo Man dolls (played Jim Belushi and Paul Wight, among others). Howard’s holiday odyssey ultimately brings him closer to his family, and I’m sure he learned many lessons along the way and didn’t forget anything else. Probably. In addition to Arnold, Belushi and Wight, the film also stars the Phil Hartman, Rita Wilson, Verne Troyer, Jake Lloyd and Robert Conrad. Although the original Jingle All the Way is in the Dishonourables list, it’s a holiday staple just because it’s plain, stupid fun. Give it a spin/stream at least once. Average Review Score: 4.26/10 (based on IMDB, Metacritic, Rotten Tomatoes and Popcornmeter).
Honourable Mentions
OK, with those out of the way, it’s time for two that are solid holiday efforts but don’t quite qualify for one reason or another. One because although it’s a movie that takes place at Christmas, I wouldn’t qualify it as a Christmas movie. I’ll be using the Sage-like wisdom of a little known actor in some little known holiday movies to qualify that. The second one is a documentary, so it doesn’t really count.
I Am Santa Claus: This 2014 documentary follows the year-round stories of five professional Santa Clauses, accounting for their highs and lows as they struggle to get by, only to rise to the occasion of the season. Among them is pro wrestling icon Mick Foley, who embraces his deep passion for the Christmas spirit by embarking on an earnest journey to become Santa, receiving guidance from a seasoned mentor to understand what it means to be Santa Claus in modern times. Alongside Foley’s story, the film weaves it together with the tales of everyday men like Russell Spice, who struggles with setbacks yet clings to the magic of the season, to Frank Pascuzzi and Bob Gerardi, who find renewed purpose and direction during their journeys, and Jim Stevenson, who celebrates his identity and personal journey as Santa. Their unique stories, and Foley’s own journey, explore themes of resilience, reinvention, and the power of community. Ultimately, the documentary is a celebration of how embracing one’s inner Santa can bring joy both to oneself and everyone around you. Also, fun fact: The doc features appearances by the Blue Meanie, Tommy Dreamer, Roddy Piper and Jerry Lawler. Average Score: 6.7/10 (Based on reviews from IMDB and Rotten Tomatoes’ Popcocernmeter).
Before we get to the next one, we’re going to preface this with comments from holiday movie staple Macauley Culkin as for why this isn’t in the main list. Culkin, when asked whether Die Hard was a Christmas movie, he argued it wasn’t because although it’s a movie that takes place at Christmas, it itself does not necessarily depend on Christmas plotwise. He argues you could plop into another holiday celebration and it still works. Conversely, Home Alone makes less sense and doesn’t work if you set it during another time of the year. So, by that metric if Die Hard is not a Christmas movie (sorry, not really sorry), then neither can this next one, which is a really good one and scored the highest reviews on this list. Hence why it’s at minimum an honourable mention.
The Princess Bride: We probably don’t need to go into tremendous detail here since I assume most people have seen this, but the 1987 Rob Reiner (R.I.P.) movie begins with a sick boy in his bedroom during Christmas played by Fred Savage. His grandfather comes to read him a story in hopes of making him feel better. (This is where the Die Hard-Culkin explainer comes in–although it takes place at Christmas, the actual story — the story the grandfather tells him — doesn’t depend on Christmas and what decorates a film to be considered a holiday movie.) The fairy tale the grandfather tells Savage’s character focuses on a farmgirl named Buttercup who falls in love with her devoted farmhand Westley, who sets out to secure their future amid swirling rumors of peril and piracy. Years pass and Buttercup now faces an unwanted wedding to an assclown of a Prince, which Westley eventually returns to prevent. The story blends wit, swordplay, strong comedic dialogue and frankly great acting from an underrated cast. The inconceivably great star-studded film is brought to life on screen by Peter Falk and Fred Savage as the grandfather and grandson, Cary Elwes, Robin Wright, Chris Sarandon, Christopher Guest, Wallace Shawn, Billy Crystal, and Mandy Patinkin. And of course, the reason why this movie is even on this list, it features Andre the Giant as a lovable brute. Average Review Scores: 8.62/10 (based on IMDB, Metacritic, Rotten Tomatoes and the Popcornmeter).
Now, you could argue against Culkin’s point and include Princess Bride in the main list. But as I’m biased against Die Hard being a Christmas movie, I have to hold Princess Bride to the same standard. Integrity, objectivity and all of that. That all being said, it’s now time for the top 5 holiday movies.
On Cena, toward Goldberg, then Miz and Dwayne Johnson, to another Galaxy we go where Guardians roast chestnuts by an fire with a side of Bacon.
Top 5 Christmas Movies Featuring Pro Wrestlers
5. Daddy’s Home 2: Released in 2017, the follow-up to the 2015 film brings the original cast back together and reunites them around the holiday season for another round of familial chaos. Brad Whitaker (Will Ferrell) and Dusty Mayron (Mark Wahlberg) plan a joint Christmas celebration while co-parenting their kids, only to have the festivities derailed by the arrival of their polar-opposite fathers—Dusty’s strict, absentee dad Kurt (Mel Gibson) and Brad’s loveable dad Don (John Lithgow). As the holiday unfolds, family tensions light up as the hodge-podge family illegally cuts down a Christmas tree that results in Brad’s electrocution, attends an improv comedy show that becomes intensely awkward as family secrets are uncovered, and a chaotic live nativity that nearly erupts into violence. This all leads to the critical moment after everything has fallen a part where the family members are forced into a cinema-turned-shelter during a blizzard. The cast comes together amid their tensions and reconciles over goodwill and a special rendition of “Do They Know It’s Christmas?” Joining Ferrell, Wahlberg, Lithgow and Gibson are Linda Cardellini, Bill Burr, Liam Neeson, a special cameo by famed pilot Sully Sullenberger and the never-seen-17 world champion John Cena as the biological father to Dusty’s step-daughter. It does hit a few tropes along the way, but it’s altogether a solid holiday watch if only for the hijinks. Average Review Score: 4.42/10 (based on IMDB, Metacritic, Rotten Tomatoes and the Popcornmeter).
4. Santa’s Slay: Sounds good so far, no? Picture this: it’s Christmas Eve in Alberta, Canada and a ferocious, blood-thirsty Santa Claus bearing a striking resemblance to Bill Goldberg rampages down your chimney. And so a festive evening devolves into a gruesome massacre for the wealth-obsessed Mason family. Santa runs roughshod through Hell Township with a series of bizarre, holiday-themed killings ranging from eggnog drownings to impaling victims with turkey legs. Nicholas Yuleson (Douglas Smith) and his love interest, Mary “Mac” Mackenzie (Emilie de Ravin), fight to survive as they learn about Santa’s infernal origins, including a cursed past sealed by an angel’s defeat in a curling match. As they flee from the relentless Jackhammer of carnage, a desperate showdown ensues in a high school gym where they are almost killed by a Zamboni before the explosive ending. The post-credits scene features Goldberg’s twisted St. NIck as he looks at his naughty list and exclaims: “Who’s Next?”, inferring the Christmas nightmare is hardly over. In addition to Goldberg, Smith and de Ravin, the 2005 film also features James Caan, Dave Thomas, Saul Rubenik, Rebecca Gayheart, Chris Kattan, Fran Drescher, and Tom “Tiny” Lister. Average Review Score: 4.6/10 (based on IMDB, and Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer and Popcornmeter).
3. Christmas Bounty: I can’t even lie, I didn’t expect to have a Miz movie in the top 5, but here we are. This is his second film on this celebration of the season, which was released in 2013 under WWE Studios. Christmas Bounty follows Tory, a reformed bounty hunter turned elementary school teacher, as she returns home for the holidays determined to keep her dangerous past under wraps while preparing for married life with her fiancé, James. However, a blizzard of trouble snowballs when an old bounty resurfaces seeking revenge on her while Tory’s bountyhunting ex-boyfriend, Mike (Miz), reenters her life, complicating her efforts to maintain a normal Christmas. Tory finds herself caught between the life she wants and the ghosts of Christmas past that she can’t escape. Let’s be honest though, this shouldn’t be this high. It’s bad. In addition to The Miz, Christmas Bounty stars Franca Raisa and Will Greenberg. Average Review Score: 4.7/10 (based on IMDB and the Popcornmeter).
2. Red One: Welcome to the first movie on this list that averages above 50%. This 2024 Christmas film stars Dwayne Johnson alongside a star-studded cast featuring Chris Evans, J.K. Simmons and Lucy Liu. The movie centres on the story of a retiring Santa and a secret military organization known as MORA that is charged with safeguarding a peace treaty with mythological beings. That balance is tested when Santa (Simmons) is kidnapped during his final Christmas run. Head of Santa’s security, Callum Drift (Johnson), pairs up with hacker Jack O’Malley (Evans) to uncover that the winter witch Grýla (Kiernan Shipka) is behind a plan to imprison everyone on Santa’s Naughty List using magical snow globes called Glaskäfigs. As the unlikely duo races through betrayals and diversions involving intercepted trackers, hidden lairs, and a takeover of the North Pole, they join forces with a revived Santa and a reluctant Krampus to thwart Grýla, while restoring Christmas magic and renewing Callum’s faith in humanity. Red One also stars Bonnie Hunt, Nick Kroll, and Mary Elizabeth Ellis. This is worth your time as a single watch, but I don’t plan to personally ever watch this again. Average Review Score: 5.44/10 (based on IMDB, Metacritic, Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer and Popcornmeter).
1. Guardians of the Galaxy Christmas Special: Here we are, the movie in the top spot of this list. This is the 2022 prequel to the final installment of James Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy. The entire cast returns for this one-off to spread Christmas cheer and goodwill in the Guardians’ new home called Knowhere. This special on Disney+ is ripe with the writing and humour that made the previous Guardians films fun, coupled with a few festive surprises along the way as the crew searches for the perfect gift to give the ragtag group’s downcast frontman Peter Quill (Chris Pratt). During their adventure, Mantis (Pom Klementieff) and Drax (Dave Bautista) set out to find Quill’s childhood hero, Kevin Bacon, only to learn that heroism isn’t always as it appears. As the story takes unforeseen turns and the team faces both lighthearted mishaps and personal revelations the special weaves together holiday cheer, humour, and a touch of heartfelt nostalgia that makes for an entertaining and unconventional holiday celebration that hits all of the markers that made the three movies and now the special refreshing amid the backdrop of the Marvel Studios machine. Joining Pratt, Klementieff and WWE legend Dave Bautista are Karen Gillan, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Sean Gunn, Michael Rooker and Kevin Bacon to round out the all-star cast. Average Review Score: 7.94/10 (based on IMDB, Metacritic and Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer and Popcornmeter).
And that’s a wrap. Hopefully some of these are new to you, and maybe some can find their way into your holiday movie rotation. As for the others… it’s best to leave them where they belong. Collecting dust.
