Cineverse has acquired the North American video-on-demand (VOD) and streaming rights to the genre-bending holiday feature Ralph’s Perfekt Christmas, which is set to reach audiences this November reported by Deadline.
Cineverse will release the film on demand and stream it on Screambox in November. The project marks the debut feature from Next Chapter Entertainment, the production banner run by Mary McLaren and Tom McLaren. An exact release date has not yet been announced.
According to the film’s synopsis, Tom McLaren plays Ralph, a likable family man whose fanatical obsession with Christmas drives a wedge between him and his wife. Determined to win her back, Ralph devises an outrageous plan involving the kidnapping of the former child star of his favourite Christmas movie. His pursuit of the perfect holiday, however, takes dark and unexpected turns, blending familiar Christmas themes with a more unsettling storyline.
Tom McLaren, whose earlier credits include Expelled, leads the cast alongside Charlie Schlatter, known for Diagnosis: Murder; Jill Schoelen, whose credits include The Stepfather; Casey Burke of The Middle; Landon Gimenez of Resurrection; and Lynda Day George, known for Roots. The ensemble brings together performers with experience in television and genre films.
Mary McLaren and Tom McLaren produced the film through Next Chapter Entertainment and also served as supervising directors. Matthew Bellamy was the director of physical production, while Jeremy Padow and Tom McLaren wrote the screenplay. The McLarens have taken on multiple responsibilities, with Tom also playing the lead role and co-writing the script.
Mary McLaren brings substantial industry experience to the project. She previously served as Chief Operating Officer, International Theatrical and Worldwide Home Entertainment, at Twentieth Century Fox. Her transition from studio operations to producing a debut feature adds another dimension to the film’s production story.
Dan Fisher, Cineverse’s vice president of acquisitions, described the film as “exactly the kind of smart, distinctive, genre-bending film that resonates with Cineverse and Screambox audiences.” He added that it “combines an original story with unexpected twists, turns, and a surprise ending coupled with a standout performance by Tom McLaren as Ralph.”
Mary McLaren has also explained the audience the film hopes to reach. “We set out to target everyone who considers Die Hard a ‘Christmas Movie’ and Cineverse is an ideal distribution partner for reaching that audience seeking alternate holiday content,” she said.
The reference to Die Hard signals the film’s intended place in the holiday entertainment landscape. While Christmas releases often lean on warmth, nostalgia and family traditions, Ralph’s Perfekt Christmas takes a darker route. Its story of a Christmas-obsessed man whose plan spirals out of control combines holiday comedy with thriller elements.
Screambox, the streaming service that will carry the film, specialises in horror, thriller and cult movies and series. The service was relaunched in October 2022 by Cinedigm, the company now operating as Cineverse, with a focus on horror and cult cinema fans. Its genre-oriented catalogue provides a natural home for a holiday feature that takes an unconventional approach to Christmas storytelling.
Cineverse has also recently acquired another genre-bending title, the thriller Eugene the Marine, starring Scott Glenn.