Kevin Smith Renames Krampus Movie And Reveals Cast

Kevin Smith has announced a name change for his upcoming Christmas-themed horror film. Originally titled, Comes The Krampus, after the malevolent devil figure of European lore, the movie will now be called Anti-Claus.

Taking a break from work on his current film, Tusk, Smith explained a bit more to the Hollywood Reporter –

When I was a kid, if they wanted to make a Christmas horror movie, they’d stick an axe in Santa’s hands. In Anti-Claus, we leave Santa alone and creep with the Krampus through twisted tales of holly-jolly murder, desire, desperation and despair. Just in time for the holiday season.

In America, we’re taught that nice kids gets presents from Santa and naughty kids get coal. But in countries like Germany, Austria, Bavaria, Romania and Hungary, Christmas is more metal than merry: Saint Nicholas brings a sack full of toys for good kids and the Krampus carries an empty bag for taking away the bad kids. I wanna see THAT Christmas movie. So rather than wait for it, we’ll make it instead.

Smith also released am early production design sketch for his film’s demonic nemesis. (Hit on the picture for a bigger version.)

Joining Smith when production gets under this coming September will be a quartet for his cast from Tusk – Justin Long, Haley Joel Osment, Genesis Rodriguez and Michael Parks. Given that Smith likes to work with actors over and over again, the fact that he is bringing back four from his current project bodes well for Tusk‘s final outcome.

One point that the Hollywood Reporter neglects to mention is that Comes The Krampus/Anti-Claus being previously announced as an anthology film. Has that status changed, with Smith expanding one segment of his original draft into a full feature-length story?

And for those fans who are wondering what has happened to Smith’s plans to film a third Clerks movie in the midst of all these other projects, don’t worry. The director said that that will be his next project after he wraps Anti-Claus, so he would presumably be shooting it sometime early 2015.