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‘John Wick’ Meets ‘The Northman’ in HBO Max’s New Official Late-Night Sleeper Hit
*Violent Night*, starring David Harbour as a Viking Santa who becomes a John Wick-style vigilante, has become an unexpected streaming success on HBO Max. The 2022 action film’s continued popularity highlights the lasting influence of the *John Wick* franchise on hard-edged action cinema and appears to have helped prompt a sequel.
Made for a reported $20 million, *Violent Night* earned more than $75 million worldwide and holds a 74% critics’ score and an 88% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. FlixPatrol currently lists it among HBO Max’s most-watched films globally, while *Violent Night 2*, directed by Tommy Wirkola and featuring Kristen Bell and Jared Harris, is due in cinemas this December.
In short
- Viking Santa becomes a global HBO Max streaming hit.
- The film earned over $75 million worldwide.
- A sequel arrives in cinemas this December.
Explained simply
Violent Night is a 2022 action film starring David Harbour as Santa Claus reimagined as a warrior vigilante. The film blends Christmas imagery with intense, stylised action sequences in the manner of the John Wick franchise, which emphasises choreographed combat and skilled hero characters.
Made on a $20 million budget, Violent Night earned more than $75 million worldwide at the box office. Audiences have given it strong ratings, with an 88% positive score on Rotten Tomatoes, whilst critical response has been more measured at 74%.
The John Wick franchise established an influential style of action cinema over recent years. Violent Night represents how this stylistic approach can be applied to different settings and premises, combining unusual concepts with hard-edged action storytelling.