The holiday season is about to get a lot bloodier—Violent Night 2 has officially been scheduled for a December 4, 2026 theatrical release, courtesy of 87North and Universal.

David Harbour is confirmed to reprise his role as the brawling Santa Claus. Director Tommy Wirkola, who was previously uncertain to return, has now officially signed on to helm the sequel, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Writers Pat Casey and Josh Miller are also back to continue crafting the story.

“We left some things on the floor last time—like the North Pole, Mrs. Claus, the elves,” Wirkola shared last year. “But story-wise, I think we have a really, really cool idea that expands the world and scope while keeping the tone we loved from the first film.”

The original Violent Night (2022) followed a squad of mercenaries who take a wealthy family hostage on Christmas Eve, only to face off against a surprisingly lethal Santa Claus (Harbour). The film blended elements of holiday classics like Die Hard, Home Alone, Christmas Vacation, and Bad Santa with a gore-soaked, darkly comedic twist.

The first film also starred John Leguizamo, Beverly D’Angelo (Christmas Vacation), Alex Haskell, Alexis Louder, Edi Patterson, and Cam Gigandet.

As I noted in my review for BD, “Director Tommy Wirkola (Dead Snow) infuses his gore-soaked sense of humor into an amalgamation of familiar holiday fare, delivering a crowd-pleasing Christmas-set actioner eager to splatter the snow red.”

Producers Kelly McCormick and David Leitch, founders of 87North, return for the sequel. With the release date confirmed, fans can expect more updates soon—alongside news of Wirkola’s next project, the shark horror film Shiver, also planned for 2026.