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Before he starred in Prime Video’s Fallout as The Ghoul, Walton Goggins played a character hired by a 12-year-old to assassinate Santa Claus. Goggins starred alongside Mel Gibson in 2020’s Fatman, which hits the free streaming service Tubi on Jan. 1.

Fatman is a different type of Christmas movie in which Gibson plays Chris Cringle. Along with his wife, Ruth (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), they run a Christmas present workshop near the town of North Peak, Alaska. Distributed by Saban Films, the movie made a meager $1.5 million at the worldwide box office, according to Box Office Mojo. Fatman was written and directed by Eshom Nelms and Ian Nelms.

Related 'He Deserves to Make Films': Mel Gibson Defended by Hacksaw Ridge's Andrew Garfield

Andrew Garfield says Mel Gibson "deserves to make films" after learning from his past controversies.

A Hit on Santa?

Goggins plays hitman Jonathan Miller - or “Skinny Man” - who...

Controversial Hollywood actor and Lethal Weapon star Mel Gibson plays the somewhat controversial Christmas icon Santa Claus (is it okay to lie to and trick children?) in the action movie Fatman, which is all set to stream for free. The Academy Award winner and Braveheart actor and director plays a very different version of Chris Cringle than we’re used to, with this gruff take on Santa feeling apathetic about the state of the world, low pay, and the growing viciousness of humanity. In desperation, he decides to join forces with the U.S. military...with catastrophic results.

Written and directed by Eshom Nelms and Ian Nelms, Fatman stars Marianne Jean-Baptiste as Ruth Cringle a.k.a. Mrs. Claus and Fallout and The White Lotus star Walton Goggins as Jonathan “Skinny Man” Miller, an assassin with a personal grudge against Santa. Fatman will sadly miss Christmas this year, but the...

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Christmas is just around the corner, and it’s time to see brilliant classic movies, but if you are not in the mood to see Home Alone or Jingle All the Way for a millionth and want to see some adult movies. We at CinemaBlind have prepared a list of 11 best R-rated Christmas movies you can check out.

Violent Night (Starz & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Universal Pictures

Violent Night is a Christmas action comedy film directed by Tommy Wirkola from a screenplay co-written by Pat Casey and Josh Miller. The 2022 film follows Santa Claus as he comes across a wealthy family’s compound, where an elite team of mercenaries has kidnapped the family on Christmas Eve. Violent Night stars David Harbour, John Leguizamo, Alex Hassell, Alexis Louder, and Beverly D’Angelo.

Die Hard Credit – 20th Century Fox

Die Hard...

Red Right Hand is an action thriller starring Orlando Bloom and Andie MacDowell, now streaming on Hulu. The film received mixed reviews, with a 50% critics' score and a 72% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. The cast includes notable actors such as Scott Haze, Garret Dillahunt, Mo McRae, James Lafferty, Brian Geraghty, Chapel Oaks, Kenneth Miller, and Nicholas Logan.

Red Right Hand has a solid cast of big stars and newcomers that help bring this action thriller to life. Directed by Ian Nelms and Eshom Nelms, Red Right Hands centers on Cash, a man trying to live a quiet life in the Appalachian Mountains. However, when a vicious mob boss pulls him back into her schemes, Cash discovers just what he is capable of, especially when it comes to protecting his family. The Orlando Bloom movie came out in February 2024 and is now streaming on Hulu.

Though Red Right Hand did not...

Founders Day: "In this satirical political slasher from the Bloomquist Brothers, a small town is shaken by a series of ominous killings in the days leading up to a heated mayoral election. As accusations fly and the threat of a masked killer darkens every street corner, the residents must race to uncover the truth before fear consumes the town.

Fresh off of a multi-city national theatrical run, has enjoyed a strong festival and great critical reception. The latest feature from fraternal writing-director duo Erik & Carson Bloomquist and production outfit Mainframe Pictures boasts a strong ensemble cast including the reunion of 13 Reasons Why stars Devin Druid and Amy Hargreaves, Naomi Grace (NCIS), Catherine Curtin (Stranger Things), Emilia McCarthy (SkyMed), Olivia Nikkanen (The Society), and William Russ (Boy Meets World)."

Directed by: Erik Bloomquist Written by: Erik Bloomquist & Carson Bloomquist Produced by: Erik Bloomquist, Carson Bloomquist & Adam Weppler Production Company:...

You’ve never seen Orlando Bloom like this before. In Red Right Hand, theThe Lord of the Rings, and Carnival Row star plays Cash, a gruff, gritty, and internalized alpha male trying to stay out of trouble. Fate won’t have it. Despite Cash’s efforts to live a quiet life while caring for his recently widowed brother-in-law and niece, he is forced back into the services of kill-happy kingpin, Big Cat (Andie MacDowell).

If you love moody action films boasting elaborately choreographed shootouts and a breathtaking climactic ending, then Red Right Hand, directed by Ian and Eshom Nelms, is your next go-to. But if you’ve seen the film’s poster, one immediate question comes to mind: Are those really Orlando Bloom’s thick veins busting out of his bulky biceps and forearms? No photoshopping here, folks. “They are [his],” laughed Eshom Nelms.

“Eshom and I were working with the artist [for the poster],” Ian Nelms went on,...

“Red Right Hand” is a new action thriller feature, directed by Ian Nelms and Eshom Nelms, starring Orlando Bloom as ‘Cash’ and Andie MacDowell as ‘Queenpin Big Cat’, now in theaters:

“…’Cash’ is trying to live a quiet, honest life in a small Appalachian town. But when a crime boss forces him back into her services, he soon learns he's capable of anything to protect his family and his home…”

Cast also includes Scott Haze as ‘Finney’, Garret Dillahunt as ‘Wilder’, Mo McRae as ‘Deputy Duke Parks’…

…Brian Geraghty as ‘Sheriff Hollister’, Chapel Oaks as ‘Savannah’, Kenneth Miller as ‘The Buck’ and Nicholas Logan as ‘The Doe’.

Clock the images to enlarge…...

Magnolia Pictures is giving the action thriller Red Right Hand a theatrical and VOD release today, February 23rd, and to mark the occasion we have been given an Exclusive clip from the film! Giving a preview of more than a minute of the film, this clip involves a “house shootout scene”, and you can check it out in the embed above.

Directed by Eshom Nelms and Ian Nelms from a screenplay by first-time feature writer Jonathan Easley, Red Right Hand stars Orlando Bloom (Lord of the Rings), Chapel Oaks (Will Trent), Garret Dillahunt (Fear the Walking Dead), Brian Geraghty (The Hurt Locker), James Lafferty (One Tree Hill), Jeremy Ratchford (Cold Case), Alexandra Park (12 Feet Deep), Scott Haze (Jurassic World Dominion), and Andie MacDowell (Groundhog Day). Here’s the synopsis: Cash (Orlando Bloom) is trying to live an honest and quiet life taking care of his recently orphaned niece Savannah...

Red Right Hand is a character-driven modern Western, differing from typical action thrillers, centered on redemption and family. Orlando Bloom shines as conflicted Cash, balancing stoicism with desperation, navigating morality, and survival. The film's strong narrative is undercut by conventional execution, missing the mark on thematic depth and a satisfying ending.

Red Right Hand follows a familiar trajectory and fits neatly into the growing modern Western sub-genre currently led by the likes of Yellowstone. Although classified as an action thriller, these elements are pretty tame despite graphic violence and bloodshed. The film follows a more character-driven story, with our lead, Cash (Orlando Bloom), grappling with his past as he is resolved to live a peaceful life with his brother-in-law and niece.

5/10

Red Right Hand is an action thriller directed by Ian and Eshom Nelms and released in 2024. Having secluded himself in a rural town with his niece, whom he cares for now,...

Orlando Bloom, Garret Dillahunt, and Andie MacDowell lead the cast of action-thriller Red Right Hand, which Magnolia Pictures will release in theaters & VOD February 23.

In the film, directed by Eshom Nelms and Ian Nelms, “Cash (Orlando Bloom) is trying to live an honest and quiet life taking care of his recently orphaned niece Savannah (Chapel Oaks) in the Appalachian town of Odim County. When the sadistic kingpin Big Cat (MacDowell) who runs the town forces him back into her services, Cash learns he’s capable of anything – even killing – to protect the town and the only family he has left. As the journey gets harder, Cash is drawn into a nightmare that blurs the lines between good and evil.”

Magnolia teases, “Red Right Hand has the kinds of characters who leave an unforgettable imprint on you.” Speaking of which, meet MacDowell’s ruthless Big Cat in the clip below.

This...

For our next screening event, Collider is excited to be teaming up with Magnolia Pictures to present the world premiere of Red Right Hand, starring Orlando Bloom. We’re thrilled to offer our readers an opportunity to catch this gritty drama on the big screen before its wide release, and directing duo Eshom Nelms and Ian Nelms will also be in attendance for a Q&a to follow, as well as cast members Chapel Oaks and Scott Haze, and writer Jonathan Easley. Read on for more details.

“Red Right Hand” is a new action thriller feature, directed by Ian Nelms and Eshom Nelms, starring Orlando Bloom as ‘Cash’ and Andie MacDowell as ‘Queenpin Big Cat’, releasing February 23, 2024 in theaters and digital:

“…’Cash’ is trying to live a quiet, honest life in a small Appalachian town. But when a crime boss forces him back into her services, he soon learns he's capable of anything to protect his family and his home…”

Cast also includes Scott Haze as ‘Finney’, Garret Dillahunt as ‘Wilder’, Mo McRae as ‘Deputy Duke Parks’…

…Brian Geraghty as ‘Sheriff Hollister’, Chapel Oaks as ‘Savannah’, Kenneth Miller as ‘The Buck’ and Nicholas Logan as ‘The Doe’.

Clock the images to enlarge…...

“Everyone Is Doing Great” will continue. A second season of the dark comedy, created by James Lafferty and Stephen Colletti, is currently in production in California and North Carolina. Season 1, which was first distributed by Hulu (U.S.) in January 2021 and later Paramount+ (international), was independently produced. Fifth Season (previously as Endeavor Content) represented the sale. The eight-episode second season was also independently produced and is seeking distribution.

The series follows former co-stars Jeremy (Lafferty), Andrea (Alexandra Park), Seth (Stephen Colletti) and Izzy (Cariba Heine), whose lives continue to intertwine years after the end of a successful TV show, as they grapple with the fallout of love, loss and fame.

Their journey will continue in the second season with the return of Sean Carrigan, Karissa Lee Staples, Aparna Brielle and Tom Fugedi, among others. Guest stars in Season 2 include Jamie Chung, Phoenix Washington, Bryan Greenberg, Jessica McNamee, Rhys Wakefield, Merritt Patterson and Aaron Staton.

Saban Films has acquired North American and South African rights to “So Cold The River,” a new thriller from Paul Shoulberg. The deal, which was forged with UK-based distribution and sales company Blue Finch Films, also includes rights to distribute the film in Australia and New Zealand rights via Saban’s partners at Defiant Screen Entertainment.

Shoulberg, best known for “The Good Catholic,” also wrote the script, an adaptation of the novel by Michael Koryta (“Those Who Wish Me Dead”). The film stars Bethany Joy Lenz as a documentary filmmaker who soon realizes her subject isn’t who he claims to be.

The film also stars Andrew J. West (“Once Upon a Time”), Katie Sarife (“Annabelle Comes Home”) and Alysia Reiner (“Orange is the New Black”) and is a co-production between 1804 Productions and Pigasus Pictures. It is produced by Claire Tuft, Zachary Spicer, and John Armstrong. Executive producers are Pete Yonkman,...

Saban Films President Bill Bromiley and Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer Shanan Becker have renewed their contracts with the Los Angeles-based global film acquisition and distribution company through the end of 2024. The new deals keep the two critical executives in the fold. Bromiley and Becker founded the company in May 2014, and during their tenure, Saban Films have released a total of 148 films through the end of 2021.

Over the last year, Bromiley and Becker have expanded Saban Films’ presence in the industry, boarding a greater number of projects at the script stage and setting distribution deals beyond North America in territories including the United Kingdom and Ireland, France, Germany, Spain, Scandinavia, Australia and New Zealand. Next year will also see the culmination of Saban Films field 60 releases, doubling the output of films in just two years.

“Bill and Shanan have successfully grown Saban Films since its formation in 2015. They...

In a statement buy, Saban Films has acquired rights to North America – along with Australia, New Zealand, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, France, South Africa and Scandinavia – on Bruce Willis starrer “Soul Assassin.”

Directed by Jesse Atlas, the revenge thriller also stars Nomzamo Mbatha (“Coming 2 America”) and Barry Jay Minoff (“Exposure”). Atlas wrote “Soul Assassin” along with Aaron Wolfe, based on their short film, “Let Them Die Like Lovers.” Jeff Elliott produced; 120dB Films co-financed the film with Elliott’s Brickell & Broadbridge.

Set to release in 2022, “Soul Assassin” recently wrapped principal photography. It turns on a former black-ops soldier who takes the place of a man who died as part of an experimental military program, in order to find out who killed him.

Saban Films have boarded multiple Willis movies of late such as Chuck Russell’s recently announced “Paradise City,” Jared Cohn’s “Reactor,” and the recently released “Cosmic Sin” and the “Breach.

Expansion move follows distribution pact with Altitude for the UK and Ireland.

US distributor Saban Films has accelerated its global expansion plans, striking distribution partnerships with several European firms ahead of the Cannes Film Festival.

After entering the UK and Ireland distribution market last September in a pact with Altitude Media Group, Saban has now partnered with distributors in key European territories and plans to release at least 15 titles annually through their new associates.

They include Splendid in Austria and Germany; Ace Entertainment in France; Mis.Label in Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Iceland; Key2Media in Spain; and Defiant Screen Entertainment...

Continuing its resilient acquisition of higher-profile commercial titles for distribution in the U.S. and Canada, Saban Films has picked up North American rights to “The Hyperions,” an indie superhero movie headed by Cary Elwes (“The Princess Bride”).

Saban Films has set a theatrical release for Feb. 2022.

Archstone Entertainment is representing the worldwide rights to the film.

The North American deal marks one of the first to be announced at this week’s Pre-Cannes Screenings, a virtual market that kicked off Monday.

Also starring Penelope Mitchell (“Hellboy”), Tanner Buchanan (“Cobra Kai”), Elaine Tan (“Tully”), and Alphonso McAuley (“Walk of Shame”), “The Hyperions” was written and directed by Jon McDonald (“Muddy Corman”). It is produced by McDonald out of his label American Millimetre, as well as Justin Bell Productions’ Justin Bell Jon Michael Kondrath at ReKon Productions.

In “The Hyperions,” Elwes plays Professor Ruckus Mandelabaum who by 1960 has come up with a device,...

Stars: Mel Gibson, Walton Goggins, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Chance Hurstfield | Written and Directed by Ian Nelms, Eshom Nelms

I’ll be honest, if you said that I am not exactly a huge fan of Christmas movies you would be absolutely correct; with the few that I do like not exactly being your typical movies. I thought Bad Santa was decent and I like Jingle All The Way a lot but for the most part I’m not that fussed.

That was until 2020 came around and among all the real life crap this year threw at us, a trailer dropped for a new movie starring the criminally underrated and under-utilised Walton Goggins. I mean seriously how is this guy not in bloody everything? Even Marvel hires him for Ant-Man and the Wasp only to bury his role but the dude is insanely good. This trailer also featured what looked to be a...

Sometimes you find the Spirit of Christmas in the strangest of places. For brothers Eshom and Ian Nelms, it was at an awards season screening of Hacksaw Ridge in December 2016. The pair had already been dreaming of Fatman and its desperado Santa Claus for more than a decade when they attended the event. But they weren’t there that night for Santa; they came for a Q&a with Mel Gibson, the mercurial filmmaker who seemed to be on the cusp of reconciliation with Hollywood.

Arriving to his own screening renewed and happy, and with a bushy gray beard worthy of Methuselah, Gibson could still make a hell of an impression, both on an industry impressed by his World War II drama and the two young filmmakers with eyes due North.

“Gibson came out and he had this amazing beard,” Ian recalls over a Zoom interview, still with a twinkle in his eye.

There's a hit out on Santa Claus in the weird and wild new action comedy Fatman, which isn't quite like any other holiday movie coming this Christmas. Starring Mel Gibson and Walton Goggins, Fatman is coming to theaters this Friday, November 13th. It will then be available On Demand and Digital starting November 24. To celebrate the release, we caught up with the directors and several of the cast members, including Mel Gibson, to find out just how this insane sure-to-be Christmas classic got made.

Fatman is written and directed by brothers Eshom Nelms and Ian Nelms, who offer a take on Santa unlike anything ever seen before. Mel Gibson plays Chris Cringle, who is just trying to get by and survive the holidays. He is joined by his wife Mrs. Claus, played by Marianne Jean-Baptiste and a barn full of elves that Santa has had to contract out to the...

It’s no secret that the box office space has been struggling to find life during the pandemic — and it seems to be even more difficult for the specialty box office space. As specialty films try to navigate the space by shifting to PVOD, digital, and virtual openings, some distributors continue to brave the landscape of shuttered theaters and strategize theatrical releases to keep the specialty box office afloat.

Neon’s buzzy Oscar offering Ammonite is the the most noticeable specialty box office title that was released in theaters this weekend. The period romance, written and directed by Francis Lee and starring Kate Winslet and Saoirse Ronan, debuted on 280 screens this weekend, earning an estimated cume of $85,000, with a per-screen average of $304.

The film sits at a 69% on Rotten Tomatoes, and earned the most on Saturday, with an estimated $32,000. Considering Covid-19 cases are spiking across the country, cinephiles are probably...

We’ve reached that time of year where the annual parade of Christmas movies are released to generate warm and fuzzy festive feelings in the audience, but none of the titles are as unique as Ian and Eshom Nelms’ Fatman. The R-rated subversion of the holiday genre stars Mel Gibson as a disillusioned Chris Cringle suffering from a downturn in business, who despite the unwavering support of his wife Ruth also has to deal with Walton Goggins’ Skinny Man after a 12 year-old kid hires an assassin to take out Jolly Old Saint Nick after receiving a lump of coal in his stocking.

Destined to become a cult favorite, Fatman balances elements of the action, dark comedy, thriller, noir and even Western genres into a distinct cocktail of Yueltide madness. We Got This Covered recently had the chance to speak to directors Ian and Eshom Nelms about Fatman and much more...

In Fatman, Mel Gibson stars as Chris—whose last name is yes, Kringle. Now, Gibson’s Santa is unlike any Claus that Hollywood history has ever produced.

That’s a good thing because a bratty kid Billy Wenan (Chance Hurstfield) has hired a hitman (Walton Goggins) to take him out for gifting him a lump of coal (it was so deserved).

All that shooting at empty cans that Chris does in the name of stress relief will come in handy. When Goggins’ so-called “Skinny Man” comes calling, armed for a small revolution, it’s a high-noon moment right out of the best Westerns.

Eshom Nelms and Ian Nelms directed the flick and also penned the screenplay. It is a film that never takes itself seriously. Yet all of its players do, and that works brilliantly for the tonal resonance of Fatman.

Even Marianne Jean-Baptiste’s Ruth, aka Mrs. Claus, is...

Is attempting to pervert the happiest time of year still a fresh approach? No, but Fatman sure thinks so. Is putting folklore into our reality a good excuse for hijinks? It can be, but it isn’t here. If a comedy doesn’t have a single laugh, does that make it bad? Of course it does, but the real slap to the face for something like this isn’t its inability to get even a chuckle. It’s how boring it is, enough so to make you roll your eyes and curl your toes in perfect unison. What feels like a Robot Chicken sketch drawn out to 100 minutes doesn’t even sound too hopeful in theory, but it didn’t have to be this pointless.

This so-called Fatman—who is he? He’s Chris Cringle (Mel Gibson). Santa Claus. But this Santa is edgy. He doesn’t live in the North Pole,...

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. That’s right Christmas is upon us, and with that comes a new collection of festive movies for us to enjoy. But now many can boast having Mel Gibson playing a disgruntled, gun-toting Santa Claus? Just one: Batman. To mark the film’s theatrical release, we had the pleasure of taking part in a virtual junket, where we spoke to a host of talent involved in this entertaining festive thriller.

So watch our interviews below, as we discuss memorable Xmas gifts with Mel Gibson, Marianne Jean-Baptiste and young star Chance Hurstfield – as well as speaking to the brothers behind the production, directing duo Eshom & Ian Nelms.

Mel Gibson, Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Chance Hurstfield

Eshom & Ian Nelms

Synopsis

To save his declining business, Chris Cringle, also known as Santa Claus, is forced into a partnership with the U.S. military. Making matters worse,...

In the years since Mel Gibson fell from the grace of his celebrity, we’ve been through the Mel Gibson-is-canceled stage (which happened but didn’t take), the Mel Gibson-gets-a-cameo-as-found-object-of-infamy stage, the Mel Gibson-crawls-back-to-nail-a-nutzoid-lead-role stage (remember “The Beaver”?), the Mel Gibson-has-become-the-hero-of-z-thrillers-that-exploit-his-disreputability stage, the Mel Gibson-has-a-real-deal-comeback-with-“Hacksaw Ridge” stage, the Hollywood-still-won’t-accept-him-as-an-actor stage, and (at last) the Mel Gibson-barely-even-has-to-be-an-actor-because-he’s-now-a-meme stage.

How else do you explain the fact that he’s now playing Santa Claus?

In “Fatman,” Gibson is Chris (as in Cringle), and the joke of his performance is that with his spooky-sensitive blue-eyed stare, the crinkles-within-wrinkles that now frame those eyes, a beard of the most formidable bushiness that’s white on the bottom but with a dark mustache that curls upward, and a voice that scrapes the booming canyon depths to the point that he sounds like John Wayne with elocution lessons, he could pass for a real-world...

“Fatman,” the “Santa Claus versus contract killer” action-comedy-fantasy movie from brothers Eshom and Ian Nelms, dares to wonder just how in the hell Saint Nicholas can afford to produce enough toys to reward every child in the world for good behavior? No one cares about the logistics of his once-a-year globe-trot; it’s magic. But in “Fatman,” rather than a portly and jovial old wizard, Santa’s a worn-down sodbuster working his fingers to the bone to keep the doors open on his workshop at a moment where more kids end up on the naughty list than ever, and his government subsidy doesn’t cover annual shortfalls.

Continue reading ‘Fatman’: Mel Gibson Is Grim & Gritty Santa In This Ridiculous, Entertaining Holiday Thriller [Review] at The Playlist.

Fatman offers a decidedly dark and twisted take on the holiday season. Christmas cheer is replaced by an evil kid, ruthless assassin, and a beleaguered Santa Claus with a budget deficit. The film is being marketed as a bleak action comedy, but is a surprisingly thoughtful satire. Fatman reflects the worst instincts of modern times. It shows how selfishness and immorality can lead to violent outcomes. Some audiences will be appalled, but the story told definitely has merit.

Mel Gibson stars as Chris Cringle, a hardworking Santa who's struggling to keep his business afloat. He has a wonderful wife (Marianne Jean-Baptiste) and legion of committed elves, but a crippling budget shortfall endangers the entire operation. His annual subsidy from the government is based on the number of gifts given. The naughty list has grown exponentially. More children are not deserving of presents. Lumps of coal have seriously affected the bottom line.

Black Coal, Thin Gag: The Nelms Bros. Stalk Santa in Middling Comedic Thriller

Santa Claus is apparently a federal employee in Fatman, a novel idea which posits Mel Gibson as the vaunted Christmas icon, Chris Kringle. However, the inspired casting married to adult themes straight out of a Coen Bros. escapade is unfortunately neither naughty nor nice, hiding its most interesting elements within the clutches of a throwaway side plot.

Directed by brothers Eshom and Ian Nelms, it lacks both the necessary smarts and gravitas to walk a fine balance between fantasy and reality, sordidness and poignancy.…...

Christmas movies are typically designed to instil warm and fuzzy feelings in the audience, and the plots are usually straightforward stories that deliver the requisite happy endings and see the characters rediscover the importance of their friends, families and loved ones, as well as their Christmas spirit.

However, there’s definitely a market for alternative festive films, one that’s been filled over the decades by action classic Die Hard, the anarchic Gremlins, Gothic superhero sequel Batman Returns, the foul-mouthed Bad Santa, the tongue in cheek horror of Krampus and virtually Shane Black’s entire filmography from Lethal Weapon and The Long Kiss Goodnight to Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Iron Man 3.

Writer/directors Eshom and Ian Nelms are the latest to throw their hats into the ring with Fatman, and the movie is destined to become a cult classic for fans that like their Christmas cheer to be...

There’s an interesting idea for a movie in “Fatman,” which seeks to spin a bleak and wintry hitman tale into a deadpan dark Christmas comedy by making Santa Claus the target of that hired killer. It never makes it past the idea stage, unfortunately, since mixing these disparate genres together would require an absolute mastery of tone that the film can’t quite muster.

Writers-directors Ian Nelms and Eshom Nelms (“Small Town Crime”) certainly can’t be faulted for ambition, but their big idea doesn’t make it all the way down the chimney.

Despicable rich child Billy already has a working relationship with the assassin known as the Skinny Man (Walton Goggins), having recently hired him to kidnap a classmate to force her to give Billy a science-fair prize he thought was rightfully his. When Billy’s wicked ways earn him coal from Santa Claus (Mel Gibson), the...

Now that Halloween is in the rearview mirror, the focus has shifted from movies that are designed to scare you out of your seat to ones that bring on the warm and fuzzy feelings associated with the Christmas season. Indeed, as is the case every year, a barrage of new festive-themed films are set to arrive and try and establish themselves in the pantheon of established classics that have reigned for decades like It’s a Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, Scrooged, Home Alone and the rest.

If you’re not the Christmas type, though, then Fatman could be the movie for you. The dark comedy stars Mel Gibson as cinema’s most grizzled Santa Claus, one that’s fallen on hard financial times and now has to deal with an assassin on his tail after a 12 year-old boy who received a lump of coal in his stocking hires Walton...

Fatman Trailer — Ian Nelms and Eshom Nelms‘ Fatman (2020) movie trailer has been released by Saban Films and stars Mel Gibson, Walton Goggins, Marianne Jean-Baptiste, Shaun Benson, Bill Lake, Sean Tucker, Joyce Rivera, Michael Dickson, Robert Bockstael, Paulino Nunes, Bill Turnbull, Michelle Lang, Chance Hurstfield, and Deborah Grover. Crew Eshom Nelms and Ian [...]

Continue reading: Fatman (2020) Movie Trailer: Mel Gibson is a Feisty Santa Klaus in a Duel of Wits with a Disgruntled Child & His Assassin...

The 'Fatman' trailer has arrived and it shows Mel Gibson as an unconventional Santa Claus.

Saban Films has dropped the first official trailer for Eshom and Ian Nelms’ upcoming action-comedy film 'Fatman.'

The dark action-comedy features Mel Gibson, as a whole different kind of Santa Claus who is being hunted by a highly-skilled assassin (Walton Goggins).

'Fatman' is about a 12-year-old brat who receives a lump of coal in his stocking and decides to hire a trained hitman to kill Chris Cringle aka Santa Claus, whose “business” is in such decline that he’s become bitter, broke, and alcoholic. Due to which, he is forced into a partnership with the U.S. military as he gets locked into a deadly battle of wits against the assassin.

"I've come for your head, fatman!" warns Goggins' assassin in the trailer.

"You think you're the first?!" shoots back Father Christmas.

The Fatman trailer has arrived. Mel Gibson's Santa Claus is being hunted by Walton Goggins in the first footage from this dark holiday hitman comedy. The footage is insane and highly R-rated, as we learn that Goggins' Skinny Man, a hitman who works in a toy store, isn't the first to come after Jolly Old Saint Nick. The movie stars Gibson as the "Unorthodox Chris Cringle," which has been Rated-r due to its bloody violence and language. The trailer is definitely Not Safe For Work, so consider yourself warned.

Mel Gibson's Santa Clause has seen better days in the Fatman trailer. "I don't know what I'm doing wrong, I've lost my influence," complains Father Christmas in this first footage from the upcoming holdiay outing. "All I have is a loathing for a world that's forgotten." From here, we learn that a boy once received coal from Santa and he is promising revenge.

In what is definitely not a case of conventional casting, Mel Gibson is playing Santa Claus in this year’s action-comedy hybrid, Fatman. And he has the gun-toting trailer to prove it.

As revealed in the latest bit of marketing, Fatman marks the first time someone has looked at Gibson’s often resplendent gray beard and said, “Santa.” The Oscar winning filmmaker who’s also notorious for virulent outbursts is going to portray that not-so-jolly Chris Cringle in this new movie from the writer-directing pair of Eshom and Ian Nelms. The two, who previously helmed Small Time Crime, direct Gibson as a Santa at the end of his ropes. Business is declining and to make ends meet, Chris has partnered with the U.S. military to deliver toys to good little boys and girls. Unfortunately for some, he also still delivers coal.

Thus enters 12-year-old boy Billy (Chance Hurtsfield), a...

Exclusive: Academy Award-winning actor, director, producer and screenwriter Mel Gibson has signed with APA.

Gibson had been at CAA, but left after the exit of his primary agents Jack Whigham and Michael Cooper. They went to Range Media Partners. Gibson moved to APA to join president Jim Osborne, who started his career as one of iconic ICM agent Ed Limato’s protege assistants. Limato was Gibson’s agent forever. Gibson went with Limato to WME but parted company with the agency after Limato died, in the wake of controversial comments the actor/director made at a troubled period in his life. He spent several years regaining his footing when he was managed by former CAA honcho Rick Nicita. When Nicita retired, Gibson went to CAA.

Gibson has been busy. He currently stars in three upcoming feature films: the Tim Kirkby-directed action/thriller Last Looks opposite Morena Baccarin and Charlie Hunnam...

Hitman Walton Goggins is going to try to kill Santa Claus, played by Mel Gibson, in Fatman, which has just been picked up by Saban Films. The dark comedy comes from writers-directors Eshom and Ian Nelms, and follows a hitman who decides to bump off Old St. Nick. You can see […]

The post ‘Fatman’ First Look: Mel Gibson is Santa Claus and Walton Goggins Wants to Kill Him appeared first on /Film.

Saban Films announced today that they have acquired U.S. rights to Fatman starring Academy Award winner Mel Gibson. Additionally, they released a first-look image of Gibson as Santa Claus. However, the actor's take on the character is far from anything we've seen before. This Santa is a little more rowdy and unorthodox from the guy who eats milk and cookies and delivers presents to kids every Christmas. Emmy Award nominated actor Walton Goggins and Academy Award nominated Marianne Jean-Baptiste also star in the dark comedy, action movie.

Fatman centers on a neglected and precocious 12-year old who hires an unorthodox hitman to kill Santa Claus after receiving a lump of coal in his stocking. Walton Goggins is playing the hitman who will be hunting down Mel Gibson's Jolly Old Saint Nick. At this point, it is unclear when the movie will open in theaters, but Saban has said it...

Saban Films has acquired the U.S. rights to “Fatman,” a dark comedy and action film that stars Mel Gibson as Santa Claus and Walton Goggins as an assassin sent to kill him, the distributor announced Wednesday.

“Fatman” comes from writers and directors Eshom and Ian Nelms and centers on an unorthodox hitman who is hired by a precocious 12-year-old to assassinate Santa Claus after he received a lump of coal in his Christmas stocking. The film also stars Marianne Jean-Baptiste.

Saban Films will announce release plans for “Fatman” at a later date.

Fortitude International’s Nadine de Barros and Mammoth Entertainment’s Todd Courtney produced “Fatman” along with Rbl Studios’ Michelle Lang, Zed Filmworks’ Robert Menzies and Skywolf Media’s Lisa Wolofsky. The film marks Saban Films’ second collaboration with the Nelms brothers following their film “Small Town Crime.”

“This is our second collaboration with the Nelms brothers, and...

Saban Films has bought U.S. rights to the dark comedy “Fatman,” starring Mel Gibson, Walton Goggins and Marianne Jean-Baptiste, for release at the end of this year.

“Fatman” centers on a neglected and precocious 12-year-old who hires a hitman to kill Santa Claus after receiving a lump of coal in his stocking. Gibson portrays a rowdy Santa who’s facing a decline in business.

“Fatman” is written and directed by the siblings Eshom and Ian Nelms, and produced by Fortitude International’s Nadine de Barros and Mammoth Entertainment’s Todd Courtney, with Rbl Studios’ Michelle Lang, Zed Filmworks’ Robert Menzies and Skywolf Media’s Lisa Wolofsky. The pic marks Saban Films’ second collaboration with the Nelms brothers following “Small Town Crime.”

Gibson was recently seen in “Daddy’s Home 2” and “Dragged Across Concrete.” He received a directing Academy Award nomination in 2017 for “Hacksaw Ridge,” and won Oscars for producing...

Saban Films has acquired U.S. rights to Fatman, the dark action comedy starring Mel Gibson as Santa Claus. The deal reunites the company with writer-directors Eshom and Ian Nelms after Saban released the brothers’ noir Small Town Crime in 2017. A 2020 release is in the works for Fatman.

Walton Goggins and Marianne Jean-Baptiste star alongside Gibson in the film, in which a neglected and precocious 12-year-old hires an unorthodox hitman (Goggins) to kill Santa (Gibson) after getting a lump of coal in his stocking.

A first-look photo of Gibson has also emerged (see below). He plays a rowdy, unorthodox Santa who is fighting his business decline.

Fortitude International’s Nadine de Barros, Mammoth Entertainment’s Todd Courtney, Rbl Studios’ Michelle Lang, Zed Filmworks’ Robert Menzies and Skywolf Media’s Lisa Wolofsky are producers on the pic, which launched sales at Cannes in 2019 when Gibson came on board. Executive producers are...

Fortitude International handles international sales.

Saban Films has acquired US rights to the dark comedy Fatman starring Mel Gibson, Walton Goggins and Marianne Jean-Baptiste

Eshom and Ian Nelms wrote and directed the story about a precocious 12-year-old who hires an unorthodox hitman to kill Santa Claus after receiving a lump of coal in his stocking.

The film’s international sales agent Fortitude International’s Nadine de Barros and Mammoth Entertainment’s Todd Courtney produced with Rbl Studios’ Michelle Lang, Zed Filmworks’ Robert Menzies, and Skywolf Media’s Lisa Wolofsky.

Saban Films’ Bill Bromiley said, “This is our second collaboration with...

Christmas has arrived early for Mel Gibson.

Saban Films has picked up the U.S. rights to Fatman, which sees Gibson star as a rowdy Santa Claus.

The story centers on a neglected and precocious 12-year-old who hires an unorthodox hitman to kill Santa Claus after receiving a lump of coal in his stocking. Walton Goggins and Marianne Jean-Baptiste also star.

Written and directed by Eshom and Ian Nelms, who worked with Saban on Small Town Crime, Fatman is produced by Fortitude International’s Nadine de Barros and Mammoth Entertainment’s Todd Courtney, along with Rbl Studios’ Michelle Lang, Zed Filmworks’ Robert Menzies and Skywolf Media’s ...

Christmas has arrived early for Mel Gibson.

Saban Films has picked up the U.S. rights to Fatman, which sees Gibson star as a rowdy Santa Claus.

The story centers on a neglected and precocious 12-year-old who hires an unorthodox hitman to kill Santa Claus after receiving a lump of coal in his stocking. Walton Goggins and Marianne Jean-Baptiste also star.

Written and directed by Eshom and Ian Nelms, who worked with Saban on Small Town Crime, Fatman is produced by Fortitude International’s Nadine de Barros and Mammoth Entertainment’s Todd Courtney, along with Rbl Studios’ Michelle Lang, Zed Filmworks’ Robert Menzies and Skywolf Media’s ...

From TorontoFilm.Net here is the Toronto Film Production Update for March 2020, including "Fatman", "Flint Strong", "Nightmare Alley" and a whole lot more:

Blood And Water Season 4

Episodic Series – TV

4Breakthrough Entertainment Inc.

Prod.: Paula J. Smith

Dir.: Felipe Rodriguez

Mar 2 - Mar 31/20

Fatman

Feature Films – Theatrical

Fatman Prods. Services Inc.

Prod.: Robert Menzies, Michelle Lang, Lisa Wolofsky, Brandon James

Dir.: Ian Nelms, Eshom Nelms

Jan 29 - Mar 12/20

Flint Strong

Feature Films – Theatrical

NBC Universal

Prod. Michael DeLuca, Elishia Holmes, Barry Jenkins

Dir.: Rachel Morrison

Mar 16 - May 6/20

I Was Lorena Bobbitt

Movies for Television

Cineflix Media Inc.

Prod.: Peter Schneider, Sherri Rufh

Dir.: Danishka Esterhazy

Feb 24 - Mar 16/20

Nightmare Alley

Feature – Theatrical

Prod.: Miles Dale

Dir.: Guillermo del Toro

Jan 13 - May 5/20

Nurses Season 2

Episodic Series – TV

Nurses Season Two Inc.

Prod.: Ilana Frank, Linda Pope, Brian Gibson

Dir.

Oscar-nominated actress Marianne Jean-Baptiste has been cast alongside Mel Gibson and Walton Goggins in Fatman, a dark comedy written and directed by Eshom and Ian Nelms.

Gibson stars as a rowdy, unorthodox Santa Claus who is fighting his business decline. Meanwhile, a neglected and precocious 12-year old decides to hire a hitman to kill Santa after receiving a lump of coal in his stocking.

Brandon James of Rough House Pictures, Fortitude’s Nadine de Barros, and Skywolf’s Lisa Wolofsky are producing the project with Rough House partners David Gordon Green, Danny McBride, and Jody Hill serving as executive producers.

Jean-Baptiste, who earned an Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA nomination for her supporting role in director Mike Leigh’s 1997 film, Secrets & Lies, was a series regular on CBS’s Without A Trace and NBC’s Blindspot. She was most recently seen in the Peter Strickland-helmed indie film,...

Christmas has come nearly 11 months early for those looking forward to Mel Gibson's dark action comedy Fatman, as it's just been confirmed that Walton Goggins has been cast as a lead in the peculiar holiday-themed project. Directed and written by both Eshom Nelms and Ian Nelms, Fatman centers on a neglected and precocious 12-year-old who hires an unorthodox hitman to kill Santa…...

From TorontoFilm.Net here is the Toronto Film Production Update for February 2020, including "Nightmare Alley", "Fatman", "The Handmaid's Tale" and a whole lot more:

Charity Christmas

Movies for Television

Gb Productions Ulc

Prod.: Arnie Zipursky, Shane Boucher

Dir.: Bosede Williams

Jan 26 - Feb 15/20

Detention Adventure Season 2

Web Series

LoCo Motion Pictures Inc. / Compass Films Inc

Prod.: Ryan West

Dir.: Joe Kicak

Jan 13 - Feb 7/20

Fatman

Feature Films – Theatrical

Fatman Productions Services Inc.

Prod.: Robert Menzies, Michelle Lang, Lisa Wolofsky, Brandon James

Dir.: Ian Nelms, Eshom Nelms

Jan 29 - Mar 12/20

Green Harvest Season 3

Episodic Series - TV

CBS Studios Inc.

Prod.: Thom Pretak

Dir.: various

Jul/19 - Feb/20

Nightmare Alley

Feature – Theatrical

Prod.: Miles Dale

Dir.: Guillermo del Toro

Jan 13 - May 5/20

Redbird (aka The Handmaid's Tale") Season 4

Episodic Series – TV

MGM / Take 5

Dir.: Various

Mar 2 - Jul 24/20

See Season...