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‘Santa, Inc.’ Trailer: Sarah Silverman and Seth Rogen Do Feminist Christmas

A female elf longs to be the next Santa Claus in this animated adult comedy heading to HBO Max.
"Santa Inc."
"Santa Inc."
HBO Max screenshot

No stranger to controversy, Sarah Silverman loves to ask the tough questions, but this time she may have gone too far. In her new animated adult comedy, Silverman plays an elf who longs to become the next Santa Claus, begging the question: Could the world ever accept a female Santa? Silverman stars opposite Seth Rogen as the portly Saint Nicholas, and the zippy new trailer offers a glimpse of this dynamic duo in action, as well as plenty of other comedy favorites in quippy voice roles.

Beginning with the logline “out with the old, in with the elf — it’s time for the North Pole boys’ club to get a little more inclusive,” the new HBO Max series launched a trailer today just in time for some provocative holiday discussion ahead of the series’ release next week. Silverman plays a purple elf named Candy Smalls, “the highest-ranking female elf in the North Pole. When the successor to Santa Claus (Rogen) is poached by Amazon on Christmas Eve, Candy goes for her ultimate dream — to become the first woman Santa Claus in the history of Christmas.”

The eight-episode, half-hour series was written by showrunner Alexandra Rushfield (“Shrill”) and produced by Rogen’s Point Grey Pictures as part of their multi-platform partnership with Lionsgate. Rushfield, Silverman, Amy Zvi, and Rosa Tran also served as executive producers on the series.

Santa Inc.” is the latest in a string of mature animated content involving Rogen since he scored big with the financially successful “Sausage Party” in 2016. Rogen is also re-teaming with Evan Goldberg to adapt the “Bubble” podcast into an R-rated animated film.

The notoriously potty-mouthed Silverman continues to forge unique career paths, both courting and eschewing controversy with her opinionated monologues to come out of her successful podcast, “The Sarah Silverman Podcast.” Earlier this fall, she ignited headlines for calling out what she labeled Hollywood’s “Jewface” problem, referring to the practice of casting non-Jews in Jewish roles. No doubt this Christmas-themed, Santa-replacing content will re-ignite any detractors newly incensed by that screen.

“Santa Inc.” will premiere on HBO Max on December 2. Check out the Red Band trailer below, if you’re old enough.

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