Amazon Studios is developing a holiday family comedy called “The Man with the Bag,” which will star Alan Ritchson and be directed by Adam Shankman. The plot follows a charming thief fresh out of prison, Vance, who is enlisted by Santa to recover his magical bag of gifts, which has been stolen. Ritchson will also produce the film, which is part of his three-picture acting deal with Amazon. Shankman is known for his light comedic touch, having directed films such as “Hairspray” and “Rock of Ages.” Ritchson is currently starring in “Fast X” and is represented by WME, Industry Entertainment, and Hansen Jacobson.
The Hollywood Reporter has reported that Alan Ritchson, star of Amazon’s hit series Reacher, is set to star in and produce a new holiday family comedy called The Man with the Bag for Amazon Studios. The film will be directed by Adam Shankman, known for his light comedic touch in films such as The Wedding Planner and Hairspray.
The Man with the Bag follows the story of Vance, a charming thief fresh out of prison who is trying to go straight and spend a normal crime-free Christmas with his family. However, when Santa’s magical bag of gifts is stolen, he enlists Vance’s help, along with his daughter and a group of misfit elves, to pull off the greatest heist of his life and save Christmas.
Ritchson, who signed a three-picture acting film deal with Amazon after the success of Reacher, will not only star in the film but also produce it. The script was written by Allan Rice, known for his work on Stuck in the Middle. Lawrence Grey, Ben Everard, Reg Tigerman, and Dan Spilo are also producing.
The news of Ritchson’s involvement in The Man with the Bag comes after the success of Reacher, which became Amazon’s first Prime Video series to hit No. 1 on Nielsen’s weekly streaming rankings. It also became one of Prime Video’s most-binged original series ever, as well as in its top five most-watched series in the U.S. and globally. The actor signed a three-picture acting film deal with Amazon as a result, with The Man with the Bag being one of the films included in the deal.
Shankman, who is directing The Man with the Bag, is known for his light comedic touch and has a resume that ranges from The Wedding Planner and Bringing Down the House to Hairspray and Rock of Ages. He most recently directed last year’s Disney+ feature Disenchanted, which starred Amy Adams.
Ritchson is represented by WME, Industry Entertainment, and Hansen Jacobson, while Shankman is represented by UTA and Sloane Offer. Rice is represented by A3 Agency, Tigerman Management, and Jackoway Tyerman.
The Man with the Bag is currently in development, and no release date has been announced yet. However, with Ritchson and Shankman’s involvement, it is sure to be a holiday hit for Amazon Studios.
