#Mel Gibson Is Santa Claus in First Look at Fatman

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 will be out in time for the end of the year, which more than likely means a Christmas release for a dark comedy about Santa Claus and a bummed out little kid out for revenge.

Fatman was written and directed by Eshom and Ian Nelms (Small Town Crime) 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 movie marks Saban Films’ second collaboration with the Nelms brothers following modern noir hit Small Town Crime. Saban Films’ Bill Bromiley said, “This is our second collaboration with the Nelms brothers, and we couldn’t be more excited to bring another unique, thrilling movie of theirs to our audiences. Eshom and Ian are a talented duo, and we were hooked from script stage. This one is a fun ride.”

Mel Gibson was recently seen in Daddy’s Home 2, along with Dragged Across Concrete. In 2017, the actor received an Academy Award nomination for his directorial work on Hacksaw Ridge. As for Walton Goggins, he was recently seen on the big screen in Ant-Man and the Wasp and Them That Follow. As for the small screen, Goggins has had a lot of success with The Righteous Gemstones and The Unicorn. Marianne Jean-Baptiste was recently seen in Soundtrack, Homecoming, and Peter Rabbit. More information about Fatman will be coming along shortly now that Saban has taken on the movie.

Jonathan Saba and Bill Bromiley negotiated the deal for Saban Films with Fortitude International’s Nadine de Barros on behalf of the filmmakers. Fortitude International is handling the international rights to the film. Bromiley and Saba are also executive producing along with financiers Hans Hufschmid and Todd Courtney in addition to Brandon James, Alastair Burlingham, The Film House’s Ryan R. Johnson, Windy Hill Pictures’ Buddy Patrick, Gary Raskin, Ben Rosenblatt, Kyle Stroud and Ingenious Media’s Peter Touche and Samantha Allwinton. You can check out the first image of Mel Gibson from Fatman above.