The 10 Best, 'Bad Santas' That Aren't So Jolly
Santa Claus is generally a jolly, happy character, but David Harbour’s take on the role in the upcoming film Violent Night will join several other “bad Santas" in movie history.
Violent Night stars David Harbour as a worn-out Kris Kringle who is about to give up on humanity and their selfish Christmas wishes. But a little girl named Trudy Lightstone (Leah Brady) needs his help when her family is held hostage, and Santa shows up to save the day. Other unconventional Santa Clauses have changed how viewers see Saint Nick for decades.
Robot Santa Claus — 'Futurama'
Robot Santa from Futurama is a four-ton robot designed by the Friendly Robot Company in 2801 to judge whether people were naughty or nice and sort out presents accordingly. However, a programming error made his standards far too high, and Robot Santa deems everyone naughty, except for Zoidberg, at least once.
Every year, Robot Santa comes to Earth to punish the naughty. It's said if Robot Santa finds them, he will chop their head off and stuff their neck holes with toys from his sack of horrors. Usually, though, he kills them using one of his Christmas-themed devices.
Toy Santa — 'The Santa Clause 2' (2002)
In The Santa Clause 2, Toy Santa is created by Curtis (Spencer Breslin) in his toy-making machine when the real Santa (Tim Allen) has to leave the North Pole to find a wife. Things are going well at first until Toy Santa, also played by Allen, sees the rule book and becomes obsessed with following all the rules. This leads to him deeming all children naughty and insisting that they all receive coal instead of presents. He also makes an army of toy soldiers to enforce his tyrannical views.
Billy Bob Thornton — 'Bad Santa' (2003)
In Bad Santa, Willie T. Strokes, played by Billy Bob Thorton, and his partner in crime (Tony Cox), reunite yearly to plan a holiday con. They pose as a mall Santa and his elf to steal from the stores over the Christmas season. Willie is having a tough time; however, as a depressed alcoholic, he feels there is no hope for him. That changes when he befriends a young boy who brings out a new side to him, and Willie finds that there may be more to life.
Bill Goldberg — 'Santa's Slay' (2005)
Santa’s Slay suggests that Santa Claus is actually a demon and that Christmas was once "The Day of Slaying" for Santa until 1005 A.D. when an angel defeated him in a curling match and sentenced him to deliver presents on Christmas for 1,000 years. This means that Santa is free to kill again in 2005.
Once he reverts to his true demon self, he becomes the giver of death and fear. Professional wrestler Bill Goldberg stars as the murderous Santa who kills his victims in gruesome, Christmas-themed ways.
Hulk Hogan — 'Santa With Muscles' (1986)
Hulk Hogan stars as Blake Thorn in Santa with Muscles. He is an arrogant millionaire who gets into some trouble with the police. He hides by dressing up as Santa and trying to escape a garbage chute, but he hits his head and suffers temporary amnesia. The injury causes him to think he is Santa, and he ends up saving an orphanage after having an epiphany that he needs to be a better person.
Jack Skellington — 'The Nightmare Before Christmas' (1993)
Jack is the pumpkin king in Halloween Town but yearns for more. In The Nightmare Before Christmas, he stumbles into another land called Christmas Town, where he becomes infatuated with the holiday and insists that all of Halloween Town participate. Jack kidnaps the real Santa and takes over Christmas. Despite his good intentions, the citizens of Halloween Town don’t quite get the concept and end up making terrifying gifts that attack the kids of the world.
Robert Brian Wilson — 'Silent Night Deadly Night' (1984)
Billy (Robert Brian Wilson) is an orphan raised by abusive nuns after his parents are murdered. Silent Night Deadly Night follows Billy as he grows up, plagued with memories of his parents' murders.
One night, he is playing Santa at an office Christmas party when memories of his treacherous past come back to haunt him. This causes Billy to go on a crazed murder spree dressed as Santa. Robert Brian Wilson as the murderous Claus is an image that will surely live in your nightmares over the holidays.
Jim Carrey — 'How the Grinch Stole Christmas' (2000)
In How The Grinch Stole Christmas, Jim Carrey stars as The Grinch, a rejected citizen of Whoville who escapes to the mountains and spends his life hating the Whos. The Who’s don’t love anything more than Christmas, which makes the Grinch hate the holiday season.
Despite Cindy Lou (Taylor Momsen) attempting to welcome The Grinch into their holiday rituals, he is belittled once again and retreats back to the mountains. There, he hatches a plan to hijack Christmas and disguise himself as Santa Claus to steal gifts and Christmas decorations in an attempt to ruin the day.
Larry Drake — 'Tales From the Crypt' (1972)
In the story "And All Through the House" from the series Tales From the Crypt, a killer axe-wielding Santa is on the loose after escaping a mental institution. In this terrifying tale, a woman murders her husband and tries to pin the blame on the murderous Santa, but he seeks revenge. The image of a killer Santa swinging around an axe can truly make Christmas feel less merry.
Brandon Maggart — 'Better Watch Out/Christmas Evil' (1980)
Better Watch Out follows Harry Stadling (Brandon Maggart), a toy factory worker obsessed with Santa Claus. He was mentally scarred as a child when he learned Santa Claus wasn’t real and suffered a nervous breakdown 30 years later after being belittled at work. Harry begins a Christmas killing spree, dressed as his idol, Saint Nick.
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