VIOLENT NIGHT 2 Footage Unveiled at CinemaCon and Kristen Bell’s Mrs. Claus Joins the Chaos

Universal just dropped a bloody little holiday surprise at CinemaCon, giving fans their first taste of Violent Night 2 and confirming that this sequel isn’t dialing anything down.

If you thought the first movie went hard with its skull-cracking Santa, the follow-up looks ready to push things even further, while also bringing in a major new player… Kristen Bell as Mrs. Claus.

Director Tommy Wirkola already flipped the script on Santa Claus back in Violent Night, turning him into a grizzled, hammer-swinging force of nature played by David Harbour. He wasn’t just delivering presents, he was delivering beatdowns, all wrapped up in a twisted holiday spirit. Now, Harbour is back in the red suit, but things aren’t exactly merry this time around.

The footage we saw kicks off with a cheeky nod to “Big Nick Energy” before revealing the core conflict. Santa has somehow landed himself on his own Naughty list. The guy who judges everyone else has lost his way and forgotten what Christmas is supposed to mean.

Of course, that personal crisis doesn’t stop him from absolutely wrecking people. One fun moment shows Santa throwing punches with Cookie Cutter Brass Knuckles, which is exactly the kind of ridiculous, brutal creativity fans are hoping for.

Then comes the big reveal. Kristen Bell steps into the role of Mrs. Claus, and even from a brief glimpse, she looks like she’s going to shake things up in a big way because she goes all in the holiday ass kicking.

Pairing Bell with Harbour is a lot of fun, and if Santa’s lost his holiday spirit, Mrs. Claus might be the one who forces him to face it… or at least survive long enough to figure it out.

Bell isn’t the only newcomer either. AEW star MJF also appears in the footage. What’s especially interesting is the shift in tone. While the original film pulled a lot from Die Hard style action, this sequel is leaning into classic Western influences.

it’s a different kind of tone and showdown energy, likely with more standoffs, gritty fight sequences, and a slightly different rhythm to the violence. Don’t worry though, it’s still very much R-rated and not holding back.

Mix all of that together and Violent Night 2 is shaping up to be a bigger, meaner, and more offbeat continuation of what ended up being one of 2022’s most unexpected hits. Between Santa’s identity crisis, the arrival of Mrs. Claus, and a fresh genre twist, this one could end up being a seriously fun holiday ride.

You won’t have to wait too long to see how it all plays out. Violent Night 2 hits theaters on December 4, 2026.