A Christmas Mystery
Genre: Family Mystery / Holiday Adventure
Release Year: 2022
Distributor: HBO Max / Max / HBO Max
Cast: Violet McGraw, Santino Barnard, Beau Bridges, Drew Powell, Christoph Sanders, Eddie Cibrian, Oscar Nunez
When beloved jingle bells said to belong to Santa Claus are stolen from a small Oregon town, a group of kids teams up to solve the mystery, uncovering secrets, forming unlikely friendships, and saving the town’s holiday spirit just in time for Christmas Eve.
IMDb | IMDb Pro | Watch on Max
Official Trailer
Behind the Scenes
Director Alex Ranarivelo wanted to do a kid detective movie. We pitched "A girl solves a small-town theft of a Christmas item." That was enough for a green light. We went from pitch to screen in 12 months, at the time a record for ESX Entertainment. A Christmas Mystery was filmed in Petaluma, California, giving it an authentic small-town holiday charm. The film balanced youthful energy with heartfelt themes, and utilized real tunnels and historic storefronts to bring its mystery to life.
Social Proof
The film became a seasonal favorite on HBO Max during its debut holiday window and has continued to grow in annual viewership thanks to its nostalgic tone and family-friendly suspense.
Feedback
“There’s so much potential for this kind of story to feel corny, but I’m happy to report that it’s actually a sweet little movie.” --Liz Kocan, decider.com
“Some of the quick-witted writing of Violet makes her moments a blast.” --Ricky Valero, readysteadycut.com