Overlooked Netflix Christmas Movie Sleighs Into the Top 10

Nearly a year after its debut, one Netflix Christmas movie finally has users feeling the holiday cheer. The Claus Family, a coming-of-age family tale about a boy rediscovering his love for Christmas, made little noise when it premiered on Netflix back in 2020, but it is enjoying plenty of success this year, even topping the Netflix streaming charts.

Directed by Matthias Temmermans, the 2020 Dutch-Belgian film centers on Jules Claus, who wants nothing to do with Christmas following his father’s death. While spending time in his grandfather’s toy shop one day, Jules stumbles upon a magic snow globe, which leads him to discover his family’s magical secret and rediscover his love of the holidays when he realizes he is the only hope to save Christmas. The Claus Family stars Jan Decleir, Mo Bakker, and Stefaan Degand.

The Claus Family initially premiered on Netflix’s platforms in Belgium, France, Netherlands, and Poland on Dec. 7, 2020, though it didn’t start generating more buzz until its arrival on Netflix U.S. on Monday, Nov. 1. While the film hasn’t yet reached the Top 10 movie or overall streaming chart, it has earned a spot on the Netflix Kids platform, where it currently ranks No. 10 overall behind titles like Cocomelon, Maya and the Three, and Home. According to FlixPatrol data, the movie has broken into the Top 10 movies on Netflix in Austria, Germany, and Brazil, among others, since its wider release this year.

As subscribers continue to find The Claus Family, boosting its overall ranking, Netflix is already giving them something to look forward to. The Cinemaholic reports a The Claus Family sequel has already been confirmed, with most of the original cast set to return. Film on the sequel reportedly began in May, according to IMDb, and ended in mid-October. The film is reportedly scheduled for release in Belgium and the Netherlands in 2021. It remains unclear when it could make its way to the U.S. The official synopsis for the film, per its Netflix listing, reads, “Santa’s one job? Deliver presents. But as Jules takes the reins from his Grandpa Noël, he receives a young girl’s letter with a special holiday wish.”

The Claus Family released in the U.S. as part of Netflix’s 2021 Here for the Holidays streaming lineup. That list of titles also includes Single All the Way, A Castle for Christmas, A Boy Called Christmas, The Princess Switch 3: Romancing the Star, the third and final installment of the popular Vanessa Hudgens-led Christmas romcom franchise, and Love Hard, which currently ranks as the most popular title on Netflix U.S.