Get Ready for a Different Santa Claus Movie
Sony Pictures beat out at least two other studios in gaining rights to the story Winter’s Knight, a completely different take on the origins and adventures of Santa Claus. The film is based on the 1902 book The Life And Adventures Of Santa Claus by Frank L. Baum and attaches itself to Viking pagan origins of the ancient gift-bringer Odin.
To get a better idea of where this is coming from, check out the comprehensive rundown on these origins at ChristmasHistory.net. This ain’t your Daddy’s Santa.
The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus doesn’t involve Vikings. In fact, the whole book is somewhat removed from any definite geography or time period. That is why knowing a bit of the historical context taken from the above link is important.
Taking place simultaneously in a climate with snow-covered winters and one in which an infant Nicholas can be suckled by a lioness and then raised by wood nymphs, the story is absolutely a fairy tale. Published in 1905, it lacks a number of the modern characteristics of Santa Claus, such as a workshop near the North Pole, the reindeer names of A Visit from St. Nicholas, or Mrs. Claus.
But that beloved 1905 Baum tale is a slight volume. Expect Sony and the scriptwriters to take exceptional liberties in order to bring us a new Santa superhero.
Be prepared for those humble beginnings to feature a character who morphs into a warrior-Santa fighting demons and opponents in an action flick determined to meld Viking tradition with ancient Christian history. There was a lot of blood in those dark ages and we expect Santa of Norse legend to be fierce.
Many film industry insiders claim the script for this project is a hot property. Sony is allegedly in the process of closing a $1 million deal with Ben Lustig and Jake Thornton, the duo who wrote the story. “Kon-Tiki” helmers Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg are attached as directors, while Lawrence Grey and Marc E. Platt are on board as producers.
No timeline has been announced for production but invite the speculation of who this warrior Claus man will be.
Hugh Jackman anyone? I feel Christmas tingles already.
