Tim Allen's The Santa Clause franchise is coming back in the form of a Disney+ limited series, and fans are likely eager to return to the North Pole. The show, titled The Santa Clauses, will see Allen reprise his beloved role as Scott Calvin/Father Christmas from the film trilogy along with a few other familiar faces. And if that weren't exciting enough, it looks like fan-favorite head elf Bernard will be making his return to Santa’s Workshop as well.
According to an exclusive from Deadline, David Krumholtz will reprise his role as Bernard the Elf in the Disney+ series. Bernard was introduced in 1994's The Santa Clause movie in 1994, and the actor reprised the role in the 2002 sequel. However, he was absent from the third film and, in 2021, Krumholtz revealed that he was initially supposed to appear. But ultimately, he felt that the character was “devalued,” leading him to step away.
The upcoming series will see Scott turning 65 and coming to terms with the fact that he can’t be Santa forever, so he sets out to find a suitable successor to carry on the legacy. The Santa Clauses will also feature familiar face Elizabeth Mitchell, who reprises her role as Carol/Mrs. Clause.
I'm very interested in seeing what Bernard is up to after all these years and whether the producers explain his absence in the last film. If anything though, given that David Krumholtz decided to return after backing out of that project, it's a safe bet that his character will play a substantial role this time around. Now, all we need is for Spencer Breslin to return as Curtis to complete Santa’s elf braintrust.
The Disney+ show has reportedly wrapped production, so I'm hoping other franchise alums will be revealed as the premiere draws closer Fingers crossed that more fan-favorites return, ranging from Eric Lloyd’s Charlie to Aisha Tyler’s Mother Nature.
David Krumholtz (like Tim Allen and the rest of of the Santa Clause cast) has remained plenty busy in the last two decades, having done both big and small-screen gigs. He has a role in the upcoming film Oppenheimer, starring an A-list cast that includes Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, and Cillian Murphy. He appeared in shows such as Mom, The Deuce, Blue’s Clues & You!, and The Good Wife. But even to this day, Bernard is arguably his most iconic and beloved role.
An official release date for The Santa Clauses has yet to be announced, and one can only hope that an announcement comes very soon. It's been well over a decade since audiences have seen Tim Allen, David Krumholtz and their castmates on screen together so, hopefully, it'll be worth the wait.
While waiting for The Santa Clauses, be sure to stream the movie trilogy using a Disney+ subscription now! Also, check out CinemaBlend’s 2022 TV schedule to see what’s premiering in the coming months.
