Sticking with Christmas films, though on completely the opposite tack to Dario Argento today, New Regency and Walden Media have just announced **Santa Is Real. Stephen Chbosky (The Perks Of Being A Wallflower) will direct the musical, which is based on a forthcoming book by Charles E. Hall and Brett Witter.
Not actually a story about Father Christmas per se, the book and film focus on the "true life fable" of co-author Hall, who has played Santa in the Christmas Spectacular at New York's Radio City Music Hall for an extraordinary 27 years.
When Radio City stopped showing films in 1979 it looked to be in trouble. But bumping up the Christmas show from a modest half-hour to a 90-minute extravaganza was the saving of it. The move was also the saving of Hall, a struggling actor who bagged the role of St Nick and ended up making it his life's purpose. "When Charles needed him most, Santa was there," runs the blurb.
Larry Stucky (Little Fockers) is writing the screenplay, and while there's no talk of the music yet, we can probably expect some overlap with the Radio City show. So The Nutcracker, Here Comes Santa Claus, Joy To The World...
There is no cast or start date so far either, but we'd bet on Santa Is Real being ready for the silly season next year. The book, Santa Claus Is For Real: A True Christmas Fable About The Magic Of Believing, is published by Gallery Press on October 14.