Kristen Bell, Daniela Melchior join Violent Night 2 cast

Kristen Bell and Daniela Melchior have joined David Harbour in the cast of Violent Night 2, Universal Pictures and production company 87North announced as the studio set the sequel for a December 4, 2026, theatrical release. Director Tommy Wirkola will return to helm the follow up, with writers Pat Casey and Josh Miller back to pen the script and producers Kelly McCormick and David Leitch producing through their first look deal with the studio.

Details about the characters Bell and Melchior will play have not been released, and studio representatives have declined to disclose plot specifics. Industry reports say further casting will be revealed as production ramps up. Universal executives Matt Reilly and Tony Ducret are overseeing the project for the studio.

The first Violent Night, released in December 2022, was an R rated holiday action film that surprised audiences and studios by combining seasonal trimmings with hard edged violence. Harbour starred as an embittered Santa Claus who takes on a team of mercenaries after they take a wealthy family hostage. The film grossed roughly 75 to 76 million worldwide on a reported budget near 20 million and earned generally positive...