Chris Evans, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson talk about ‘Red One”s balancing act between Christmas and action

Red One wasn’t quite the box office gift that its producers hoped it would be, with a debut of $34 million against a budget said to be $250 million. 

The movie is essentially a Christmas kidnap caper: When J.K. Simmons‘ Santa Claus is snatched, his head of security, Callum, played by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, taps an unlikely ally to try to find him: Chris Evans‘ bounty hunter Jack O’Malley, who is firmly on Santa’s naughty list. 

At a recent press event, Evans and Johnson said an action comedy through the snow globe-lens of Christmas isn’t as odd as it may seem.

“There’s such great Christmas lore, folklore, not just the stories we all grew up with, but internationally, you know what I mean?” Evans says.

“When you hear some of these creatures and stories and mythology, it almost begs for some sort of, you know, action-adventure movie. So it’s not quite as hard as you think.”

Johnson agrees, saying the movie’s “heart” is really what makes it all possible: “It’s one of my favorite parts of the movie where J.K. as Santa Claus reminds me that it’s our job to see the best in people and look at that child.”

“Look beyond if they’re on the naughty list like this guy,” he says pointing to Evans. “Look beyond it and look at the kid in everybody. As Chris was saying, it really wasn’t that hard.”