Naughty: Jennifer Aniston Calls Santa to Testify

Naughty: Jennifer Aniston Calls Santa to Testify

Naughty is a Christmas movie with an unconventional plot and an even more unusual solution. It's slated for release in 2027.

Jennifer Aniston plays Mallory, a mother who is in a custody battle for her son. Mallory decides to find Santa Claus, the only witness who can help her win the case.

Peter Dinklage plays Santa in his first ever Christmas-themed movie.

Olivia Wilde is directing the movie from an original screenplay by Jimmy Warden. The movie is set to release on November 5, 2027 in the US.

Jennifer Aniston Plays Mallory

Jennifer Aniston is the lead character, Mallory, in the movie.

Mallory is the mother who is trying to get full custody of her son from his father. She begins to think that the only way to win the case is to get testify by Santa Claus.

Of course, the case isn't to find out if Santa Claus is real. Mallory is convinced that in some way, he will help her win the case.

The testimony of Santa Claus isn't the main focus of the case. Mallory's goal is unrealistic, and, in some cases, ridiculous: find Santa, persuade him to assist her case, and use the evidence to win.

According to online sources, including movie box app install, some users are confused if this is a movie that's going to be released in the theatres or a streaming release. Currently, it's a theatrically released holiday movie. There's no release date for it's streaming release.

In July 2026, Dinklage's role was announced, and his and Aniston's pairing forms the main comical duo in the movie.

The distance between Mallory and Santa appears to be conceptually smaller here, possibly suggesting Mallory will need to find, meet and/or persuade Santa.

We don't know what Santa knows or does not know about Mallory's family situation.

There is also a mystery about how his testimony may impact the outcome of the custody case.

This is where the joke is.

Mallory is taking on an impossible task, and the creators are playing along by making the story and the journey as serious as possible.

So, in a way, Dinklage's portrayal of Santa serves two purposes: a Christmas figure and a character that creates a reason for Mallory to reevaluate her strategy in dealing with a fast-unraveling and chaotic reality.

Additions to the Supporting Cast

Since the announcement of the movie, the supporting cast has increased.

In October 2026, Hall joined the cast and a month after, in November, Sui Wonders and Barinholtz were added to the supporting cast.

Hall's role has not been announced by Universal.

Hall may play Mallory's friend or companion during part of the search for Santa. This information is unconfirmed.

Also in November 2026, Sui Wonders was added to the cast without a role being announced.

The supporting cast has many mysteries.

For audiences who discover this movie via searches relating to 'movie box', the official, public information is likely to be the release date, the cast and the theatrical production rather than vague, unverified information.

Ike Barinholtz Joins Cast As Mallory's Ex

Ike Barinholtz is the most recent addition to the cast of Naughty.

According to rumors, he will be playing Mallory's ex, the person who is in a custody battle over a child and is central to the case.

Universal has not verified this, so this will stay in rumor territory.

But if it is true, Barinholtz will have a major role in the movie.

Mallory's goal to meet Santa is brought on by her feud with her ex.

So this conflict gives the film a grounded emotional problem. The mixture of ordinary legal conflict and an impossible witness is the central joke of the movie, Naughty.

Olivia Wilde Directs Naughty

Wilde will be directing Naughty after her work with Booksmart and Don't Worry Darling.

Jimmy Warden wrote the script, which was originally a spec script that was later developed by Universal.

Warde and Wilde will be producing the film with Lucky Chap Entertainment, who are also producing the film with them.

Initially, people compared the project to other adult ensemble comedies set at the North Pole.

The description and tone of the project definitely supports this. It combines normal family problems with increasingly ridiculous holiday problems.

She wants him to testify.

This changes the traditional quest to find Santa into something more like a road trip comedy centered around a strange legal strategy.

Right now, the best description of the film says it is a contemporary live action comedy, directed by Olivia Wilde and written by Jimmy Warden.

There are still a lot of things that Universal has not said, how exactly does Mallory reach Santa, where does the story happen and where exactly does it end when she asks him to testify.

These unanswered questions make the film ripe with possibility and surprises.

Naughty opens November 5, 2027

Universal Pictures will release Naughty in U.S. theaters on November 5, 2027.

Right now the film is scheduled for release in Brazil on November 11, with other countries to follow later the same month.

Jennifer Aniston and Peter Dinklage star, along with Regina Hall, Chase Sui Wonders and Ike Barinholtz.

Wilde directs from a screenplay by Jimmy Warden.

A lot of things hinge on one very strange question.

If Santa Claus supposedly knows who is naughty and who is nice, could he testify in court?

For Mallory, the answer could impact a lot more than who gets gifts on Christmas.