Is Jack Black’s ‘Dear Santa’ a Knock-Off of This Philippine Horror Flick?

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  • The American ‘Dear Santa’
  • The Other ‘Dear Santa’ Controversy in the Philippines
  • Is ‘Dear Santa’ a Rip-Off or Coincidence?

As a long-time movie enthusiast who has seen countless films from different corners of the globe, I must admit that the coincidence between the two Dear Santas is nothing short of astounding! It’s like stumbling upon twin movies born on opposite sides of the world, each with their unique take on the devilishly charming figure we know as Santa Claus.

As Christmas is approaching, we’re all aware of the usual tradition – around 7,002 fresh movies debut, and about 90% of those are from the Hallmark Channel. However, there are some unique Christmas movies that aren’t from Hallmark. One such film is the new movie starring Jack Black, titled Dear Santa. This movie seems to fit the bill for your typical heartwarming holiday comedies where a child writes a letter to Santa, and Santa shows up. But in this instance, the child accidentally spells Santa as ‘Satan’ and unwittingly summons the ruler of Hell instead. Despite the marketing promising a family-friendly movie, there could be an interesting twist – what if another film with the same plotline were released at the same time? And what if that other film also had the exact same title? Now, isn’t that an intriguing scenario to consider?

The second “Dear Santa” movie, like the earlier one, features a child who accidentally mispells Santa’s name. However, unlike the Jack Black-starring version, this Filipino production adopts a significantly darker and horror-centric approach to the storyline. In fact, it was so intense that the film was entirely banned. The question remains as to whether the “Dear Santa” movies influenced each other or if this similarity is simply another example of Hollywood’s unusual coincidences.

The American ‘Dear Santa’

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In the movie titled “Dear Santa,” we follow the story of Liam Turner, a young boy struggling with dyslexia as he navigates issues at both home and school. To change his circumstances, he writes a letter to Santa. However, due to his dyslexia, he spells ‘Santa’ as ‘Satan.’ Consequently, the missive doesn’t reach the North Pole but instead lands in the depths of the Underworld. There, Jack Black’s character, Satan, receives the letter and manifests himself in Liam’s room the following day. Liam thinks that Satan is Santa, and the dark ruler decides to play along with the misunderstanding. He grants Liam three wishes, but soon, Liam discovers that this “Santa” is not who he claims to be. Trying to renege on the deal, Liam finds himself unable as Satan informs him that he must fulfill his remaining wishes. And in the end, it’s revealed that his soul will be claimed.

Despite having a somewhat somber storyline, the movie is designed to cater to viewers of all ages, as evident by the abundance of slapstick humor like fart jokes in the trailer. While not everyone was convinced by the plot, many praised Black’s performance as exceptional. With minimal marketing and a direct-to-streaming debut, it seems improbable that Dear Santa will become the next holiday tradition. However, some are curious if its storyline might have originated from a similarly titled Filipino horror film.

The Other ‘Dear Santa’ Controversy in the Philippines

The second narrative shares many similarities with the first, both featuring a young girl writing to a certain figure (Santa or Satan). Unlike the first, this version portrays Santa as more like a horror movie antagonist rather than the comical Jack Black depiction. Instead of fulfilling her wishes, he tries to lead her astray towards evil. However, she remains firm in her values and manages to reform him into a good person in the end. This adaptation stirred up quite a bit of debate.

In the Philippines, which is predominantly Christian, the idea of portraying Satan as a sympathetic character in a Christmas movie stirred controversy. Initially named “Dear Satan,” the film later changed its title to “Santa.” The release date was set for September 2024, preceding the US premiere by two months. However, the Philippines’ Film and Television Review Board deemed the movie unsuitable for public viewing with an “X” rating. The head of the board argued that the film’s themes and representation of Satan were incompatible with her Christian beliefs. In contrast, the Directors’ Guild of the Philippines believed the movie conveyed a message about redemption, arguing that even the most evil characters can transform for the better. Regardless, the film remains banned, but there are possibilities it might be distributed globally on Netflix; however, no official decision has been made yet.

Is ‘Dear Santa’ a Rip-Off or Coincidence?

In essence, it appears that neither of the two movies titled “Dear Santa” released in the same year were copies of each other. They were independently produced, one by the Farrelly brothers in the U.S., and the other by a team in the Philippines. There’s no evidence suggesting a shared source material or an intentional imitation between the two films. It’s merely one of those intriguing instances where the film industry produces similar ideas concurrently, both sharing the same title.

But will Jack Black’s movie lead to the Filipino movie being released? Not in its native country, as the Philippines’ film review board was very clear about that. However, there are still plans for a potential Netflix release. If the American Dear Santa performs well, then Netflix or another streamer may see that there is an audience out there for this story. Viewers always love a good Christmas horror, so maybe the saga of the Philippines’ Dear Santa is not over yet. Dear Santa is streaming on Paramount+.

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2024-11-30 22:31