7 Christmas movies we’ll never get to see – and the reasons why

hopticsDecember 23, 2025

Christmas time is here again, and for many of us watching a few festive films is about as much a part of the season as turkey, presents and the King’s speech. When it comes to seasonal features to watch at this time of year we’re spoiled for choice, from the family favourites of Home Alone, Elf, The Polar Express and The Muppet Christmas Carol, through to the endless debates over whether Die Hard is a legit Christmas flick, we’ve all got our favourites. But for every Christmas film which has graced our screens over the decades there’s been many others which never even made it off the starting blocks. Here’s a bunch of festive movies which might well have put some sparkle into our Christmases – except they were never made. Humbug… (Picture: Shutterstock/Metro)

1. Deadpool Christmas movie

This image released by Twentieth Century Fox shows Ryan Reynolds in a scene from "Deadpool 2." (Twentieth Century Fox via AP) — First up, what’s Christmas without a little Deadpool? The Marvel anti-hero, brought to life on screen by Ryan Reynolds, is no stranger to the festive season after all thanks to Once Upon A Deadpool – the recut, PG-13-friendly version of Deadpool 2 which landed in 2018. But we nearly got a second festive serving of the character thanks to a full-length script by Reynolds and co-writers Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick, with a plot which sees Deadpool having to save Christmas. However, the project became a victim of the Disney-Fox merger, with the actor telling The Big Issue the film ‘got lost in the shuffle of Disney acquiring Fox and it never got made. Maybe one day we’ll get to make that movie.’ We can but hope. (Picture: AP)

2. Pixar’s Tin Toy special

Tin Toy, 1988 (Picture: Pixar) — Next up, here’s one we did get to see in one form, although we were deprived the chance of getting a longer version. Tin Toy is a 1988 Pixar short which over the course of five minutes introduces us to Tinny, a one-man band toy trying to escape from a mischievous baby. Plans were afoot for a longer Christmas special in which Tinny wakes up in a modern store and searches for his friends. The film was intended to showcase Pixar’s ability to create a longer, or even feature-length, computer-animated movie – except they were unable to secure funding from a network for it. Which ultimately meant Tin Toy was canned. So to speak. The company did incorporate some elements of the story – including characters Lotso the bear and Wheezy the penguin – into subsequent Toy Story movies though. So it wasn’t entirely a wasted effort. (Picture: Pixar)

3. Elf 2: Buddy Saves Christmas

Editorial use only. No book cover usage. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock (1566350a) Elf, Bob Newhart, Will Ferrell Film and Television — Is there really anybody out there who hasn’t seen Elf yet? The charming 2003 fish-out-of-water comedy has become such a part of Christmas that we can’t remember what the festive season was like without it. So you’d think a sequel would be a no-brainer, right? Wrong. While plans were afoot for a follow-up, involving Buddy the Elf having to save the festive season, its star Will Ferrell wasn’t keen on reprising the role – despite being offered a $29m (£21m) payday. Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter, he said: ‘I would have had to promote the movie from an honest place, which would’ve been, like, “Oh no, it’s not good. I just couldn’t turn down that much money.” I thought, “Can I actually say those words? I don’t think I can, so I guess I can’t do the movie”.’ All of which means Elf got left on the shelf. (Picture: Moviestore/REX/Shutterstock)

4. Scoob! Holiday Haunt

Film handout: Scoob Warner Brothers Scooby Doo & Shaggy — Scooby-Doo has had varying success on the big screen. While the original Noughties Scooby-Doo movies were box office hits, 2020’s animated reboot Scoob wasn’t quite so lucky. And even less so given the fact that a planned Christmas movie, Scoob! Holiday Haunt, never made it to screens. The movie, intended as a prequel to the 2020 film, centred on a young Mystery Incorporated trying to crack a haunting in – you guessed it – a vacation resort, this one owned by Fred’s Uncle Ned. And they would have got away with it if it hadn’t been for the meddling studio – Warner Bros to be precise – who shelved the film in August 2022, just months before it was due to air on HBO Max, citing cost-cutting measures. Will we ever get to see it? It’s a mystery. (Picture: WARNER BROS)

5. It’s A Wonderful Life sequel

American actors James Stewart (1908 - 1997) as George Bailey, and Donna Reed (1921 - 1986) as Mary Hatch Bailey in a promotional still from 'It's A Wonderful Life', directed by Frank Capra, 1946. (Photo by Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images) — Another Christmas favourite, It’s A Wonderful Life – the heartwarming tale of a man who gets to see what the world might have been like if he’d never been born – is a full-blown seasonal classic. But did you know we nearly got a sequel? A planned legacy follow-up, It’s A Wonderful Life: The Rest Of The Story, reportedly would have centred on George Bailey’s grandson, with Karolyn Grimes as his guardian angel. Although it was tipped for release in 2015, Paramount – who produced the original – decided they were having none of it, and issued a statement threatening legal action against any unauthorised follow-up. Since then, there’s been no updates on the project, with Grimes telling website Coming Soon in 2020: ‘It was a great project and I think it would’ve been a great story. They’re still hoping that it will happen. You never know.’ (Picture: Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images)

6. Sweet Baby Jesus

Here’s one which came very close but never became a reality. Sweet Baby Jesus, a modern spin on the nativity story, was due to star Pixie Lott as a pregnant teenager named – you guessed it – Mary. However, the 2010 project, which was also reportedly set to star Sharon Stone and Bette Midler, was ultimately scrapped due to funding issues and production problems. The Mama Do singer later admitted that it was a relief since it would allow her to prioritise her music career. ‘It would have been really fun, [but] at the moment I haven’t got time to focus on acting properly,’ Pixie told the Daily Star Sunday at the time. ‘When I do acting I’d want to really concentrate on it and get into the character and take it seriously. I’m so busy with music, in some ways it’s better the film’s not happening.’ (Picture: Joseph Okpako/Redferns)

7. Marvin The Martian movie

For Editorial Use Only Mandatory Credit: Photo by Warner Bros/THA/Shutterstock (15063027j) Marvin the Martian, "Looney Tunes" (2020) Credit: Warner Bros. "Looney Tunes" (2020) — Finally, we come to a beloved Warner Bros character who came so so close to getting a big-screen outing – a festive one no less – but missed out. Marvin The Martian was originally set to be the star of a live-action/CGI movie which had a plot involving the big-eyed alien being thwarted by Santa in his bid to thoroughly ruin Christmas for everyone by destroying the Earth. It even had Mike Myers voicing Marvin, horror movie legend Christopher Lee as Santa and a release date pencilled in around October 2011. It’s not quite clear what happened to this one, but it appears to have been cancelled some time around 2010 and test footage from the flick, titled Yule Be Sorry, leaked a couple of years later. And of course Marvin got his big moment in the Space Jam movies in 1996 and 2021 – so he’s not been completely forgotten. (Picture: Warner Bros/THA/Shutterstock)

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