Hannover House teases Christmas horror film JOLLY ahead of December release

Hannover House released a teaser trailer Friday for JOLLY, a CGI-and-AI animated Christmas thriller directed by Arthur G. Night. The film is set to open in theaters Dec. 11, 2026, and the company says early reactions point to a possible breakout horror hit.

Why it matters: - JOLLY is being positioned as a high-end independent horror release with photo-realistic CGI-AI visuals and full actor performances driving the animation. - Hannover House is betting the film can become a major commercial hit for the company in a fast-growing indie horror market. - The trailer debut adds momentum ahead of a Dec. 11, 2026 theatrical release.

What happened: - Hannover House released a teaser trailer of scenes from JOLLY on Friday, Sept. 4. - The film is directed and written by Arthur G. Night. - JOLLY will open in theaters on Dec. 11, 2026. - Scorpion House Productions, Hemdale Films and Hannover House are attached to the release. - The teaser is available here.

The details: - JOLLY is described as a CGI-and-AI animated feature using a full cast of actors for each role. - Facial and motion capture performances drive the visuals. - Hannover House says the film reaches a photo-realistic look with a $100 million appearance. - The running time is 81 minutes. - The expected MPA rating is R. - Eric Parkinson plays Santa. - Anna Stadler plays Lucy. - Chris Orozco plays Sheriff Roscoe. - Clayton Z. Taylor plays the Gingerbread Monster. - Amber Gene plays Miss Black. - Arthur G. Night appears in the role of Jolly. - The producers are Eric Parkinson, Chris Large and Alessandra Di Caterino. - Jon McCallum is the editor.

Between the lines: - Hannover House is trying to separate JOLLY from standard low-budget genre fare by emphasizing technology, performance capture and polished visuals. - The company points to indie horror momentum in the U.S. market, citing strong box office results for Obsession, Backrooms and Buddy. - Eric Parkinson said industry professionals who have seen the teaser have predicted JOLLY could become Hannover House's first major hit.

What's next: - Hannover House will keep building awareness for JOLLY ahead of the December theatrical launch. - The film is expected to receive its final MPA rating before release. - Audience reaction to the teaser will be a key signal for whether the movie can convert early buzz into box office interest.

The bottom line: - Hannover House is using JOLLY to stake a claim in premium indie horror, and the next test is whether the teaser attention translates into ticket sales.