Christmas has come early — and it is armed. Christmas at the Kringles, the R-rated horror comedy from Briarcliff Entertainment, opens in theatres nationwide today, October 30, 2026, as the only new wide release of a quiet Halloween weekend. It is a film that mashes two holidays into one nightmare: a family moves into a quiet suburb, meets neighbours who celebrate Christmas all year round, and discovers that the tinsel hides something far darker.
Directed by Kevin Lewis (Willy’s Wonderland) from a screenplay by Zack Imbrogno, the film stars Ron Livingston as Mark Severson and Rachel Bilson as his wife Julie. The Seversons are leaving the city for the suburbs so their foul-mouthed young son Bobby, played by Jack Jewkes, can have a more “magical” life. What they find next door is the Kringle family, led by Nick, played by Thomas Lennon, and Carol, played by Arden Myrin — an obnoxiously upbeat clan whose house looks like a Christmas superstore exploded inside it, every nook packed with decorations, carols on permanent loop, and figgy pudding in unlimited supply.
The joke curdles fast. The Kringles are not just eccentric. As Mark and Julie grow suspicious of their son’s growing attachment to the neighbours, they uncover a household with a habit of removing anyone who gets in the way of its “joy” — and a plan to hypnotise and indoctrinate the Seversons into their way of life. When the family disappears, Mark teams up with a disgraced, rogue mall Santa, played by Rob Riggle, and a divorced neighbour, Daryl, played by Donald Faison, to storm the Kringle home and fight to win his family back.
Cast and crew of Christmas at the Kringles
- Ron Livingston as Mark Severson
- Rachel Bilson as Julie Severson
- Thomas Lennon as Nick Kringle
- Arden Myrin as Carol Kringle
- Rob Riggle as the rogue mall Santa
- Donald Faison as Daryl
- Beverly D’Angelo and David Wain in supporting roles
Kevin Lewis directs, with Zack Imbrogno on the script. Tom Ortenberg and Andrew Ortenberg are among the producers, and Briarcliff Entertainment — the distributor behind a string of recent wide releases — is handling the domestic rollout. Don Worley serves as executive producer and also appears in the film as Anton.
Release date, rating and runtime
| US theatrical release | October 30, 2026 (wide) |
| Festival premiere | Screamfest, October 15, 2026 |
| Distributor | Briarcliff Entertainment |
| Rating | R — language, some strong bloody violence, some sexual material |
| Runtime | 1 hour 38 minutes |
| Genre | Holiday horror comedy |
Why October 30 is a smart — and strange — release date
Opening the day before Halloween is a calculated gamble. Studios largely cleared out of this weekend: Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, and the frame has no other major studio wide release. That leaves Christmas at the Kringles as the only new wide option for moviegoers — and a film that can, in theory, play to two audiences at once: last-minute horror fans on Halloween weekend, and the holiday crowd already drifting into Christmas mode in November.
The premise has been described, affectionately and otherwise, as “Get Out as a Christmas movie”: a family that seems welcoming, a newcomer who senses something off, and a rescue mission once the smiles drop. The film even leans into the joke with its marketing, including a parody popcorn bucket unveiled ahead of release.
What early reviews are saying
Early reviews are mixed to negative, though the cast earns consistent praise. Dread Central called it “an uneven holiday horror tale,” arguing that a talented cast of comedians is let down by a script that piles on contradictory ideas. Another early review was blunter, calling the film very bad while singling out Lennon and Myrin as its best assets, “practically vibrating with manic Christmas glee.” The consensus so far: the premise is fun, the neighbours are the highlight, and the execution does not always live up to either.
That reception puts the film in familiar territory for this kind of release. Horror comedies built on a high-concept joke often live or die on word of mouth rather than reviews, and a wide Halloween-weekend opening with no direct competition gives it a clear runway to find its audience — the same audience that turned the Violent Night films, whose mall-Santa energy Riggle’s character openly echoes, into surprise hits.
What it means for the weekend box office
With no major new competition, the Halloween frame is expected to be led by holdovers — the Elizabeth Holmes documentary You Can See Everything and DC’s Clayface are forecast in the $10–17 million range — leaving Christmas at the Kringles to fight for attention as the weekend’s only fresh wide offering. Its performance will be a useful test of whether a Christmas-horror hybrid can bridge two seasons, or whether audiences would rather wait for the real holiday slate in December.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does Christmas at the Kringles come out?
October 30, 2026, in theatres nationwide in the United States, via Briarcliff Entertainment.
Who stars in Christmas at the Kringles?
Ron Livingston, Rachel Bilson, Rob Riggle, Thomas Lennon, Arden Myrin, Donald Faison, Beverly D’Angelo and David Wain.
Who directed Christmas at the Kringles?
Kevin Lewis, from a screenplay by Zack Imbrogno.
What is Christmas at the Kringles about?
A family moves into a suburb where the neighbours celebrate Christmas year-round — then discovers the Kringles are a dangerous cult-like household planning to indoctrinate them, forcing the father to team up with a rogue mall Santa to rescue his family.
Is Christmas at the Kringles rated R?
Yes — R for language, some strong bloody violence and some sexual material. Runtime is 1 hour 38 minutes.