Christmas at the Kringles

EVERY DAY IS CHRISTMAS. NOBODY GETS OUT.

Most people take their Christmas decorations down in January.

The Kringles don't.

They leave the lights on.

The decorations stay up.

The holiday music keeps playing.

And every single day is another opportunity to spread a little Christmas cheer.

Sounds wonderful.

Until you move in next door.

WELCOME TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD

In Christmas at the Kringles, the Severson family is looking for a fresh start.

Mark and Julie Severson have moved with their young son, Bobby, into a quiet suburban neighborhood.

A new house.

New neighbors.

A chance to settle into a different life.

And right next door lives the Kringle family.

At first, their neighbors seem harmless enough.

A little eccentric, perhaps.

They're obsessed with Christmas.

Not just in December.

All year long.

But what initially looks like a charming family tradition gradually becomes something more disturbing.

The Kringles take an unusual interest in Bobby.

And Bobby seems increasingly attached to them.

Mark and Julie begin wondering whether their neighbors' enthusiasm is entirely innocent.

Then their concerns turn into something much worse. 

THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF THE YEAR

Christmas horror has always worked because it turns something familiar into something threatening.

The decorations.

The music.

The presents.

The cheerful strangers.

Everything associated with comfort and celebration becomes an opportunity to make the audience uncomfortable.

But Christmas at the Kringles takes that idea in a particularly strange direction.

These neighbors aren't simply celebrating Christmas.

They're attempting to turn other people into believers.

According to the film's official synopsis, the Kringles intend to hypnotize and indoctrinate the Severson family. 

That changes the meaning of all that holiday cheer.

The decorations aren't just decorations anymore.

The enthusiasm isn't necessarily friendly.

And the invitation to join the festivities may be something considerably more dangerous than it sounds.

What happens when a family refuses to participate?

That's the question at the center of the nightmare.

MEET THE SEVERSONS

Ron Livingston plays Mark Severson, the father trying to protect his family.

Rachel Bilson plays Julie Severson, his wife.

Their son Bobby is played by Jack Jewkes.

The conflict escalates after Mark and Julie become alarmed by their son's growing attachment to the Kringles.

Following a confrontation, Mark heads next door to bring his family home.

But the situation is no longer a disagreement between neighbors.

It's a rescue mission.

And the Kringles aren't interested in letting their guests simply walk away. 

SANTA IS COMING TO TOWN

Fortunately, Mark isn't completely alone.

Because somewhere in this increasingly bizarre Christmas nightmare is a Santa Claus willing to fight back.

And he's played by Rob Riggle.

The official cast credits identify his character as Drunk Santa.

Yes.

Drunk Santa.

In the movie's synopsis, he's described as a rogue Santa who teams up with Mark for an action-packed attempt to save the Severson family. 

It's an inspired setup for a horror-comedy.

A father fighting to rescue his family.

A neighborhood obsessed with Christmas.

And a Santa Claus who appears to have abandoned the traditional approach to spreading holiday cheer.

The film isn't promising a restrained psychological drama.

It's promising something louder.

Stranger.

And considerably more chaotic.

THE KRINGLES ARE WAITING

The supporting cast brings together several familiar comedy performers.

Thomas Lennon plays Nick Kringle.

Arden Myrin plays Carol Kringle.

Beverly D'Angelo plays Mama K Kringle.

David Wain plays Noel Tannebaum.

And Donald Faison plays Daryl. 

It's a cast that signals the film's comedic ambitions.

But the premise gives those performances a darker foundation.

Because the Kringles aren't merely eccentric neighbors.

Their obsession has a purpose.

And the Seversons are about to discover how far the family is willing to go to keep Christmas alive.

FROM WILLY'S WONDERLAND TO CHRISTMAS HORROR

Behind the camera is Kevin Lewis.

Horror fans may recognize him as the director of Willy's Wonderland, the Nicolas Cage horror-comedy about a janitor trapped inside a family entertainment center with murderous animatronic mascots.

That film established Lewis's ability to take something associated with childhood entertainment and turn it into an absurd, violent genre premise.

Christmas at the Kringles follows a similar creative direction.

A cheerful environment becomes dangerous.

A familiar tradition turns threatening.

And an increasingly outrageous situation demands an equally outrageous response.

The screenplay comes from Zack Imbrogno, with Andrew Ortenberg, Tom Ortenberg, Liam Finn, Kevin Lewis and Jordan Dykstra credited as producers. 

CHRISTMAS ARRIVES BEFORE HALLOWEEN

Here's the particularly fun part.

The film isn't waiting until December.

Its world premiere is scheduled for October 15, 2026, at the Screamfest Horror Film Festival.

Then Briarcliff Entertainment brings it to U.S. theaters on October 30. 

That's the Friday before Halloween.

A Christmas horror-comedy opening during Halloween weekend.

Which is exactly the kind of scheduling decision that makes sense for a film like this.

It belongs to both seasons.

The decorations are Christmas.

The danger is Halloween.

And the audience gets a holiday nightmare nearly two months before Christmas Day.

The official teaser is already available from Briarcliff Entertainment, introducing the neighborhood and its unsettling Christmas obsession. 

THE HOLIDAY SPIRIT IS CONTAGIOUS

There's something wonderfully unsettling about neighbors who are always cheerful.

Not occasionally cheerful.

Not even enthusiastically cheerful.

Always.

Because eventually, you start wondering what happens when somebody refuses to smile.

Or sing.

Or celebrate.

Or join the family.

That's the nightmare Christmas at the Kringles is selling.

The Seversons aren't simply trapped in a house full of decorations.

They're confronted by people who believe everybody should share their enthusiasm.

Whether they want to or not.

And when the family discovers what's really happening next door, the holiday celebration becomes a fight for survival.

As of October 13, Friday Night VHS marks Christmas at the Kringles:

COMING SOON.

The Screamfest premiere is just ahead.

The theatrical opening follows October 30.

And we aren't revealing the outcome of the Kringles' plans before audiences have had a chance to see the film.

For now, we know enough.

The neighbors celebrate Christmas every day.

They want the Seversons to join them.

And Santa is apparently preparing for a fight.

Welcome to the neighborhood.

Merry Christmas.

You may never leave.