Tim Allen Was Disappointed With Martin Short In The Santa Clause 3
Tim Allen admits he was dissatisfied with certain elements of The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, particuarly his scenes with Martin Short. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, the comedian and television star talked about the faults of the movie, how it differed from its prequels, and what is coming next for the franchise. Disney+ will be releasing a new miniseries called The Santa Clauses on November 16, which brings Tim Allen back as the jolly gift giver.
Most surprising is that there was never a scene between Tim Allen and Martin Short, who co-starred in the third installment. “…that was funny, I’m still going huh,” the actor volunteered in the interview. “That’s the funniest human being I’ve ever been around, other than me, and we never got a shot to do a real big scene together.” Both men are high-profile comics, so it was an interesting choice on the part of the filmmakers that the two never met on-screen.
In the three Santa Clause movies, Tim Allen’s character, Scott Calvin, is suddenly bestowed with a magical suit that turns him into Santa Claus when he surprises the suit’s previous owner on his roof on Christmas Eve. From there, he must balance his family life with the duties of being the spirit of Christmas for all children. In the new miniseries, Scott is now looking for a replacement, which sees him testing out numerous potential Santas.
Does this mean the end of Tim Allen in the reindeer-driven sleigh? That is a more complicated question, as Tim Allen is not a man who likes to sit around. “I’ve had the last four weeks of not doing much, and I’m doing this a lot (scratches head). I love what I do. I don’t know what the word ‘retirement’ would mean.”
He says he sees himself as more like former co-star Hector Elizondo, who is still hard at work in front of the camera at the age of 85. Elizondo’s long career started in the late 1960s and is still active, with the actor playing a recurring role in the CBS comedy B-Positive this year. He also has a voice role in the Netflix animated series Green Eggs and Ham.
In addition to comedy and television, Tim Allen likes to build hot rods and design artwork, and all four are pursuits he doesn’t see himself giving up anytime soon. “I don’t know what I would do if I retired, like, go golfing every day?” he asks, elaborating that people tell him he should try fishing. Neither of these pursuits seems to be Tim Allen’s style, though.
The new series for Disney+ does seem to be his style, however, as it is written by Last Man Standing writer Jack Burditt. The two were able to work together closely in developing a script that goes back to the beginning of the Santa Clause storyline and attempts to smooth over the jagged edges of the third movie. This line of thinking caused them to revisit why the first movie starts with Santa falling from a rooftop, and what this could mean for Scott Calvin ever retiring from the role.
The Santa Clauses is being released with plenty of time before Christmas, so audiences of all ages can return to the magic of the movies in anticipation of the winter holiday. Tim Allen stars alongside returnee Elizabeth Mitchell as Carol Calvin, Scott’s wife and Mrs. Claus. Kal Penn and Laura San Giacomo join the cast alongside a host of Christmas elves who can all be seen on November 16.
