We discuss the Disney+ series The Santa Clauses and whether or not it is a sequel or a reboot.
In the 90s Disney had some pretty wonderful family films that were released and The Santa Clause was one of them. What started as a one-off situation on Christmas night turned into a film trilogy that no one saw coming. In the first film directed by John Pasquin and co-written by Leo Benvenuti and Steve Rudnick, a man inadvertently makes Santa fall off his roof on Christmas Eve. Then he finds himself magically recruited to take his place. It’s a magical evening filled with plenty of laughs as it tells this fish-out-of-water storyline with Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) heading to the north pole as a regular man with some powers.
The sequel which was released in 2002 had Scott on the search for Mrs. Clause after eight years of being Santa. Then to end the trilogy, The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause, there’s a bit of madness when Jack Frost (Martin Short) finds a way to strip Scott of his Santa Clause title. In this movie, we also get to see the Council of Legendary Figures, consisting of Mother Nature, Father Time, the Easter Bunny, Cupid, the Tooth Fairy, and the Sandman who all come together concerned about the behavior of Jack Frost.
There has rarely been a franchise about Christmas that people return to every year and The Santa Clause trilogy has been the most successful in recent years. Disney likes to make its audience feel nostalgic and they do that by reviving iconic franchises or movies for a television show. In a way, it is nice to show a new generation of children these fun family films and welcome them into their world. On the other hand, is it something that could work with today’s generation? For those born in the 90s, what Disney released at that time holds so much weight in their childhoods. There’s a different attachment to the Disney films from the 90s and those kids have grown up still tied to all of them. If anyone is watching The Santa Clauses on Disney+, it’s going to be all those 90s kids who want to feel like a kid again.
The Santa Clause franchise has always brought everyone together at Christmas time and it’s a franchise that is so rewatchable. The characters are incredibly fun and Tim Allen as Scott Calvin just adds paternal energy that we’re comforted by. Whether you watched Home Improvement or hear Buzz Lightyear, Tim Allen was a massive part of everyone’s childhood. The franchise made him an even bigger household name as Santa Clause and it worked at the time. You had a familiar face and father figure taking on the role of Santa and of course, his voice is something that resonates with many 90s kids. Choosing Buzz Lightyear to be Santa was a genius casting decision in the 90s.
It has been really interesting to see how franchises returning have been received by audiences. Sometimes the films aren’t that great but the nostalgia is what ties everyone to these characters. Sometimes the television series is even better than the original franchise itself so it works in their favor. Whether you were a fan of The Santa Clause or not, this new series will definitely bring some holiday spirit into the mix this season and it’s going to be entertaining. It’ll also be interesting to see Tim Allen back on screen as he hasn’t really had a good role in many years. He returns as one of his best characters and people should be more than excited about that. Even though he has been gone for some time, there’s just something about the Christmas season that Tim Allen kind of owns in a way. From being Santa to partying at Christmas with the Kranks he has been a staple during the season and it’s always fun. It’s hard to decide if something is a reboot or a sequel because there’s so much excitement with a franchise returning. As long as these characters return to us and have some fun doing it, that’s all that matters.
What is The Santa Clauses (2022) about?
The Santa Clauses (2022) is about Scott Calvin (Tim Allen) who is about to turn 65 and is realizing that he can’t be Santa forever. He sets out to find a suitable replacement Santa while preparing his family for a new adventure in life south of the pole.
Is The Santa Clauses (2022) a reboot or a sequel?
It’s very hard to categorize what even qualifies as a reboot or a sequel now. And it’s because filmmakers have started to blend the two together. The Santa Clauses is technically considered a sequel television series because it has all of its returning characters from the original franchise. However, if they do add new characters and try to make something more of it then it’s entirely possible that this could be considered a soft reboot as well.
It’s almost like a revival and an additional project all tied together that does work in Disney’s favor. If anyone has mastered blending the two categories together, it’s definitely them. It’s considered a sequel because Scott Calvin is getting older and is still following his life as Santa from the original trilogy. He is about to “retire” and head back home instead of staying up there with them. Then it’s considered a reboot because they have to find a new Santa to replace him, which could eventually lead to more seasons of the show if it’s well-received by audiences. It’s a very fine line between both and you can take it either way, but that’s why the term “requel” was invented through the Scream franchise. The term “requel” combines reboot and sequel together because many films in the horror genre have done the same thing. Once you have the older characters return and have their younger counterpart in the new film, that’s what it’s considered. It would ultimately work well for Disney to have a Christmas-themed show return every year. So it would be nice if The Santa Clauses series has an audience wanting another season.
