Halloween is tomorrow, so naturally one studio has decided it is the perfect moment for Christmas. Christmas at the Kringles, a holiday horror-comedy from Briarcliff Entertainment, opens in theaters today and asks a question every suburban homeowner has secretly pondered: what if the neighbors with the blinding light display are not just enthusiastic, but dangerous?
Meet the Seversons, and the family next door
Ron Livingston plays Mark Severson, a burned-out stock trader who moves to a small town with his wife Julie (Rachel Bilson) and their son Bobby (Jack Jewkes), hoping a fresh start will patch up the family. Next door live the Kringles, led by Nick (Thomas Lennon) and Carol (Arden Myrin), who celebrate Christmas every single day of the year. At first it is charming. Then Bobby gets a little too attached, and Mark discovers his cheerful neighbors are running something closer to a cult, complete with hypnosis and a very strict policy on joy.
His unlikely ally? A rogue, hard-drinking Santa played by Rob Riggle. Donald Faison, David Wain and Beverly D’Angelo round out a cast stacked with comedy veterans.
Willy’s Wonderland, holiday edition
Director Kevin Lewis, who made the Nicolas Cage cult oddity Willy’s Wonderland, has jokingly described the new film as a sequel in spirit, aimed squarely at the idea of toxic positivity. Zack Imbrogno wrote the screenplay, and the R-rated movie runs 98 minutes.
The critics are not singing carols
Early reviews have been rough. Variety called it a misfire that misses both the comedy and the horror, while other outlets described it as visually flat and too timid to be truly scary. Some reviewers admit it might work as a silly, light-hearted watch with friends, just without great expectations.
Box office forecasts are modest too. Tracking points to an opening of roughly two million dollars on a weekend dominated by holdovers, as most audiences will be busy trick-or-treating. Still, holiday horror has a habit of finding a second life on streaming every December, so the Kringles may not be done knocking yet.
Christmas at the Kringles is in theaters from October 30, 2026.