There aren’t many sure things for big studios these days. But there are a few subgenres that generate a profit more often than not: horror films, Christmas movies, and superhero movies. All three have a fairly substantial built-in audience and, when it comes to Christmas movies, the genre also has a time of year that practically necessitates their release. And, given just how many Christmas movies and superhero movies there are, it’s inevitable that there’s some talent crossover. Those are the Christmas movies that follow: festive flicks featuring folks well-versed in the superhero terrain. In other words, Red One, starring the DCEU’s Dwayne Johnson and Lucy Liu as well as the MCU’s Chris Evans and J. K. Simmons, is in good company.
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Note that, given the vast quantity of Christmas movies available, there were some qualifications. First off, the film had to be either a theatrical release or a major streamer’s exclusive. Secondly, the star didn’t have to be from an MCU or DCEU project, they just had to be from a Marvel or DC project. Furthermore, if the Christmas movie had more than one DC or Marvel star, it was more likely to be included. And, lastly, the star had to have been in a relatively straightforward Christmas movie, so nothing like Batman Returns, Die Hard, or Gremlins here.
Ryan Reynolds, Octavia Spencer, and Rose Byrne in Spirited (2022)
There have been quite a few cinematic takes on Charles Dickens’ 1843 novella A Christmas Carol. In fact, we’re going to get to another one in just a second. Some are straightforward adaptations while others, such as Apple TV+’s Spirited, have a bit of a satirical edge. That said, they always include three ghosts and a bit of soul-searching.
In the case of Spirited, there are a few Marvel stars, as well. The most prominent is none other than Ryan Reynolds. But the star of the Deadpool films (as well as Blade Trinity, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and the DC bomb Green Lantern) isn’t the only one. There’s also Rose Byrne from X-Men: First Class and X-Men: Apocalypse and Octavia Spencer, who had a brief but humorous cameo in Sam Raimi’s original Spider-Man movie.
Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, and Robin Wright in A Christmas Carol (2009)
When Robert Zemeckis’ 2004 adaptation of The Polar Express managed to make a profit in spite of mixed reviews and a substantial $170-million budget, it kicked off a brief period of all-digital capture films that play more as creepy than anything else. After making a detour to Old-English epic territory with Beowulf, he returned to Christmas territory with a straightforward adaptation of A Christmas Carol. It was also a return to Christmas territory for Batman Forever star Jim Carrey after having starred in Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas nine years earlier.
Carrey wasn’t alone, either. Like Carrey, The Dark Knight trilogy’s Gary Oldman was there playing several digitally crafted parts, as was the two Wonder Woman movies’ Robin Wright (a Zemeckis favorite). Colin Firth of the Kingsman franchise is also there as Scrooge’s nephew.
Paul Giamatti and Paul Rudd in All Is Bright (2013)
Even with a few big-name stars on the poster, All Is Bright came and went. That’s a shame because, while it’s not a particularly inventive addition to the Christmas crime film, its two leads turn in terrific performances. It’s certainly a more worthy watch than Reindeer Games (which features a few comic book stars of its own).
In the case of All Is Bright, though, there’s Ant-Man‘s Paul Rudd and The Amazing Spider-Man 2‘s Paul Giamatti. The two Pauls have had a starkly different level of success in their respective Marvel projects, with Giamatti’s Rhino being one of the weaker roles of his incredible career, but who’s to say he won’t get another shot at a Marvel or DC project some day?
Kathryn Hahn, Susan Sarandon, Ariana Greenblatt, and Jay Hernandez in A Bad Moms Christmas (2017)
When Bad Moms struck a chord with audiences in 2016 (over $180 million on a tiny $22-million budget), it was inevitable there would be a sequel. And, just over one year later, that sequel came to fruition in the form of A Bad Moms Christmas. It didn’t earn quite what the original did, but the budget was still kept low and it managed to please the 2016 film’s fans.
Like with the first film, what really works about A Bad Moms Christmas is the chemistry between leads Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, and Kathryn Hahn. And, as one might expect, Hahn is the scene stealer. She’s also the film’s biggest MCU star, having just led Agatha All Along after debuting the character Agatha Harkness in WandaVision. But she’s not the only superhero movie star, as Susan Sarandon (Blue Beetle) plays the mother of Hahn’s Carla and Ariana Greenblatt (Avengers: Infinity War) plays the daughter of Jay Hernandez’s (Suicide Squad) character, both of whom just so happen to have the last name Harkness.
Forest Whitaker, Angela Bassett, and Tyrese Gibson in Black Nativity (2013)
Black Nativity didn’t make much of a splash with either critics or at the box office. On the former side, reviewers found it to be heavy-handed, though there was appreciation for the work of Angela Bassett (which tends to be the case when she’s attached to a project).
But Black Panther‘s Bassett isn’t the only superhero movie star in the film. Serendipitously, her costar from that film, Forest Whitaker, is her co-lead here. Then there’s Tyrese Gibson, who you may (or may not) remember from Morbius.
Jim Carrey, Bryce Dallas Howard, and Anthony Hopkins in Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000)
For those who were young back in 2000 when Ron Howard’s Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas hit theaters, the film is a treasure. Critics at the time weren’t as impressed, but they also hadn’t seen The Cat in the Hat yet, which showed how truly awful and tone-deaf a Seuss adaptation could be. Not to mention, in the case of How the Grinch Stole Christmas, its practical effects have allowed it to age with a certain impressive grace.
As mentioned, this wasn’t Carrey’s final foray into Christmas movie territory, but it was by and large his most successful. In terms of other Marvel stars, the Thor films’ Anthony Hopkins lends his iconic voice to How the Grinch Stole Christmas as its narrator. And, while her role here is a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo, Spider-Man 3‘s Bryce Dallas Howard (daughter of director Ron) is here as “Surprised Who.”
Nicolas Cage and Don Cheadle in The Family Man (2000)
While there aren’t three ghosts, The Family Man isn’t all that dissimilar from A Christmas Carol. Meaning, it has a selfish protagonist who goes through an otherworldly event that greatly alters his perspective. Specifically, he gets to live an alternate version of his existence that would have seen him choose love over money, all courtesy of an angel’s intervention. So, if anything, it’s even closer to It’s a Wonderful Life than A Christmas Carol.
As close as it is to It’s a Wonderful Life, though, it’s even closer to Marvel and DC. For one, it was directed by the now-disgraced Brett Ratner, who helmed X-Men: The Last Stand. Two, it stars Ghost Rider and Spider-Noir‘s Nicolas Cage as well as War Machine himself, Don Cheadle, as the aforementioned angel.
Paul Giamatti, Elizabeth Banks, Rachel Weisz, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan in Fred Claus (2007)
Sometimes it’s obvious a Christmas movie is going to be a stinker from the moment its first trailer drops. That was the case when it comes to Fred Claus, whose greatest contribution to entertainment history is a solid throwaway gag on 30 Rock.
However, it’s chock full of superhero movie stars. For instance, The Amazing Spider-Man 2‘s Paul Giamatti plays Santa Claus. Joining him was Black Widow‘s Rachel Weisz, the Spider-Man trilogy’s Elizabeth Banks, Superman Returns‘ Kevin Spacey, and The Dark Knight Rises‘ Burn Gorman. Not to mention, Watchmen‘s Jeffrey Dean Morgan makes a cameo appearance, just as he did in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.
Chiwetel Ejiofor, Liam Neeson, Martin Freeman, and January Jones in Love Actually (2003)
Has every element of Love Actually aged gracefully? Not quite. Is it still a charming holiday favorite for many people? Absolutely. It’s also as star-studded as can be, and that includes multiple performers who have also had major parts in Marvel and DC films.
Most prominently there’s Liam Neeson, who of course played Ra’s al Ghul in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. There’s also Kingsman‘s Colin Firth (three years before returning to festive cheer cinema in A Christmas Carol), Doctor Strange and Venom: The Last Dance‘s Chiwetel Ejiofor, Black Panther‘s Martin Freeman, and a cameo from X-Men: First Class‘ January Jones. And long before bringing The Walking Dead‘s Rick Grimes to life, Andrew Lincoln played the friend at the center of a now-infamous and controversial love triangle.
Chris Pine, Jude Law, and Hugh Jackman in Rise of the Guardians (2012)
If there’s an underrated entry in DreamWorks Animation’s filmography, it’s Rise of the Guardians. It doubled its production budget, but it was expected to do more. Furthermore, it seems to have slipped off the radar in the years since its release.
It’s odd, considering it’s essentially an animated take on The Avengers (which was also released in 2012). And, while it doesn’t feature any Avengers stars, it does have some notable superhero movie presences. Wonder Woman‘s Chris Pine plays the lead, Jack Frost, Captain Marvel‘s Jude Law steals the show as the villain, Pitch Black, and Deadpool & Wolverine‘s Hugh Jackman has a supporting role as none other than the Easter Bunny. Or, rather, E. Aster Bunnymund.
Red One is now playing in theaters.
