The Streaming Christmas Horror Movie That’s Become A Modern Classic
Somehow, Christmas films and horror seem to go together as harmoniously as peanut butter and jelly. This concept has been explored in films such as The Nightmare Before Christmas, Gremlins, and even Home Alone, if you count the disturbing torture of a pair of would-be child murderers tonally within the horror niche. One film, 2015’s Krampus, is responsible for taking this concept to the next level, and is currently available to stream on Peacock.
The Krampus Director Wants To Make A Sequel
Krampus was written and directed by Godzilla: King of the Monsters filmmaker Michael Dougherty and stars Adam Scott, David Koechner, Emjay Anthony, Stefania LaVie Owen, Toni Collette, and Fargo‘s Allison Tolman. Michael Dougherty previously wrote and directed the hit horror film Trick ‘r Treat in 2007, making him a well-known figure in the world of scary movies.
In fact, Dougherty recently expressed interest in writing a Krampus sequel while announcing to his fans that Trick ‘r Treat 2 has already gone into production.
The Legend Of Krampus
The film follows the eponymous legend of folklore, Krampus, who is said to arrive during the December 5 Austrian holiday of Krampusnacht with the intention of punishing naughty children. The concept of this character has also been heavily explored in a number of American Dad holiday specials.
The film was distributed by Universal Pictures, with special effects completed by Wētā Workshop, the same studio used in such films as Hellboy, Avatar: The Way of Water, Thor: Love and Thunder, and The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
The Engel Family Get A Visit From Krampus
Krampus centers on the highly dysfunctional Engel family as they prepare for the holidays. As their home fills with cantankerous family members and rowdy children, it becomes a bigger and bigger struggle to maintain any semblance of holiday tradition within the household. This takes an especially harsh toll on the Engle’s son Max, who is mocked by his cousins for still believing in and writing to Santa Claus. Later in the evening, a severe blizzard rolls into town, causing power outages and road closures. When Max’s older sister Beth attempts to leave the house to meet up with her boyfriend, she is attacked by Krampus, a horned demon with the express intention of punishing those deemed to be naughty.
Some members of the family venture out to search for Beth while others try to go to sleep, but before long, all parties of the family are attacked by a myriad of Christmas-themed
weapons.
Plans For The Sequel
Though the film received mixed reviews, Krampus was a financial success, bringing in over $61 million worldwide against an estimated production budget of only $15 million. Filmmaker Michael Dougherty has already begun to outline plot details for the possible second film in the franchise, which would focus on a group of strangers trapped in an isolated location, rather than a nuclear family and their extended relatives.
Krampus Is Streaming On Peacock
Given the financial success of the first film, it seems likely that Michael Dougherty’s script for the sequel will be greenlit as soon as it’s ready. Of course, this will mean waiting until the horror filmmaker has finished working on the upcoming Trick ‘r Treat 2 film. For those who have not yet seen it, Krampus is available to stream on Peacock today.
