Christmas Trailers: 'Santa Inc' and 'For Auld Lang Syne' Peanuts Special
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and as another year that has been so tough for so many draws to a close, some people are embracing the festive spirit more than ever. And this Christmas, the animation world is offering us all some seasonal treats.
The Festive season and stop-motion animation are two things that are intrinsantly linked in many people's minds, thanks to the Rankin-Bass specials in the US (such as Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer and Jack Frost) and Aardman shorts in the UK. HBO Max's new animated comedy Santa Inc is playing on that association but taking things in a decidedly more adult direction.
The eight-episode series will take place at the North Pole and follows an elf named Candy Smalls as she tries to become the first-ever female Santa. Voicing Candy is Sarah Silverman, while Seth Rogen voices the current Santa Claus. The series will also feature the voices of Leslie Grossman, Gabourey Sidibe, Craig Robinson, Nicholas Braun and Maria Bamford.
The series is created and written by show-runner and executive producer Alexandra Rushfield. Rushfield is a newcomer to animation, whose past credits are mainly writing and producing TV comedy including stints on Parks and Recreation, Friends From College, and Shrill. The series is directed by Harry Chaskin, an experienced animation director whose filmography includes Robot Chicken, Dinosaur Office and Buddy Thunderstruck. The series is produced by Lionsgate TV and Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg's Point Grey Pictures
Check out the (very much not child-friendly) trailer below. All episodes arrive as an early Christmas present on HBO Max on December 2.
If there is one particular franchise that is associated with holiday specials, then surely it's Charles Shulz's Peanuts. 1965's A Charlie Bown Christmas is one of the original animated Christmas specials and is still widely beloved today. It was followed by numerous other seasonal specials and shorts, as well as the Charlie Brown and Snoopy Show. Now Charlie, Snoopy, Lucy, Linus and co are back for a brand new special Snoopy Presents For Auld Lang Syne.
Last year Apple TV+ acquired the rights to the franchise, snagging the rights not only to stream the existing specials, but produce new ones, as well as TV series such as Snoopy In Space and The Snoopy Show. Based on this trailer, it seems they have adopted the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" philosophy, as it looks very much like a slicker version of classic Peanuts, both in spirit and style.
For Auld Lang Syne will stream on Apple TV+ from December 10.
