The Surprising Story Behind Mel Gibson's Casting As Santa In Fatman

While the idea of a dark, grim version of Santa Claus sounds like a concept that's bound to be cheesy and at least a tad tongue-in-cheek, the Nelms always knew that they wanted to play it straight. That's probably why the trailer for Fatman looks very much like a traditional action movie, with just a sprinkling of dark humor. In fact, were it not for the overt references to Christmas, Gibson's Cringle could be the lead in a thriller about a grizzled, retired soldier who's had enough of his job but is forced back into the field by circumstances beyond his control.

It was a unique story that drew Gibson in, as he explained during a recent interview with Movie Web. "I knew it when I read the script, that it was different," the actor said, "that it took iconic characters and put them in absurd situations in the form of a western so it was therefore, kinda, in a weird way, fish out of water for everybody and therefore amusing."

Fatman premiered in theaters on November 13th and was released via On Demand and other streaming services the following week, on November 24. It remains to be seen how Fatman will hold up over the years and if it will become a treasured, if unconventional, holiday classic.