How to Watch ‘The Santa Clause’ Movies
The Santa Clause and its sequels have been staple Christmas movies since the ’90s. Their releases earned more than $360 million at the box office, and the franchise has continued its popularity to this day. In 2022, many fans are feeling extra nostalgic for The Santa Clause movies thanks to Tim Allen’s brand new miniseries, The Santa Clauses, which continues the story of Scott Calvin as Santa. Here’s where to watch The Santa Clause movies.
How many ‘Santa Clause’ movies are there?
There are three movies in The Santa Clause film series. The original movie, directed by John Pasquin, came out in 1994. Tim Allen stars as Scott Calvin, a toymaker and divorced father struggling to connect with his young son, Charlie (Eric Lloyd). When Scott accidentally causes the death of Santa Claus, he must reluctantly put on the suit and become the new Santa.
The Santa Clause 2, directed by Michael Lembeck, arrived in 2002. After spending eight years as Santa Claus, Scott learns of a contract clause that requires him to get married, or else he cannot continue being Santa. Additionally, he must deal with Charlie making it onto the naughty list, and his temporary replacement at the North Pole gets mad with power.
Lembeck returned to direct the third and final film, The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, which arrived in 2006. This time, Scott/Santa and his wife, Carol/Mrs. Claus (Elizabeth Mitchell), must prepare for a visit from Scott’s in-laws. Meanwhile, Jack Frost (Martin Short) attempts to take over the North Pole and Scott’s role as Santa.
Where can I stream ‘The Santa Clause’ movies?
The Santa Clause movies are all available to watch year-round on Disney+. Additionally, there are cable options for those who want to watch at Christmastime but don’t have access to the streaming service. Freeform’s 25 Days of Christmas schedule is a one-stop shop for Christmas movies, including The Santa Clause franchise and other hits like Home Alone and classics like Frosty the Snowman.
Freeform’s 25 Days of Christmas begins on Dec. 1. All three Santa Clause movies will air that day, back-to-back, starting at 11:30 am ET. They’ll play again on Dec. 3, Dec. 7, Dec. 11, Dec. 13, Dec. 16, Dec. 18, Dec. 19, Dec. 24, and Dec. 25. So, there are plenty of opportunities to catch the trilogy on TV. Fans should make sure to check their local listings for the air times, as they vary each day.
Where to watch ‘The Santa Clauses’ series starring Tim Allen
Once fans watch The Santa Clause movies, they can dive right into The Santa Clauses, available exclusively on Disney+. Tim Allen, Elizabeth Mitchell, and Eric Lloyd reprise their roles in the series. Plus, Kal Penn joins as Simon Choksi. Here’s the synopsis for The Santa Clauses, per D23:
“Scott Calvin is on the brink of his 65th birthday and realizing that he can’t be Santa forever. He’s starting to lose a step in his Santa duties, and more importantly, he’s got a family who could benefit from a life in the normal world, especially his two kids who have grown up at the Pole. With a lot of elves, children, and family to please, Scott sets out to find a suitable replacement Santa while preparing his family for a new adventure in a life south of the pole.”
The first two episodes of The Santa Clauses premiered on Nov. 16. One episode will be released every week after that until all six episodes make it to Disney+.
Is ‘Santa Clause 4’ happening?
So, what about the future of The Santa Clause franchise? Is there going to be a Santa Clause 4 movie? For now, we don’t know. Since Scott Calvin is retiring as Santa, it seems The Santa Clauses will wrap things up with a Christmas bow. However, depending on the finale, there could be room for more. Perhaps the franchise can continue with the new Santa, bringing The Santa Clause magic to a new generation.
New episodes of The Santa Clauses premiere every Wednesday on Disney+ until Dec. 14.
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