At last count, there are roughly 1,532,567 animated Christmas films. Trust me, I did the math. But that isn’t stopping Netflix from releasing one more, with the upcoming “Klaus.” And if the trailer is to be believed, maybe we shouldn’t write this one off as just another Christmas children’s film.
As seen in the trailer, “Klaus” tells the story of a postman that approaches a toymaker with a proposition. If Mr. Klaus is willing to give away all his extra toys, the postman, Jesper, will deliver them to boys and girls who will appreciate them. Yep, this is exactly how Christmas began. Now, as the children learn of a magical toymaker that will deliver toys if you write him a letter, the town begins to see a revolution of kindness and caring. And obviously, you can’t have that. So naturally, the adults in the town want to stop Jesper and Klaus.
The animated film stars the vocal talents of Jason Schwartzman, JK Simmons, Rashida Jones, Norm MacDonald, and Joan Cusack. Interestingly, the film comes from director Sergio Pablos, who is best known as the man who created the “Despicable Me” franchise. So, he’s definitely one of the bigger names in animation.
“Klaus” arrives on Netflix on November 15.
Here’s the synopsis:
When Jesper (Jason Schwartzman) distinguishes himself as the postal academy’s worst student, he is stationed on a frozen island above the Arctic Circle, where the feuding locals hardly exchange words let alone letters. Jesper is about to give up when he finds an ally in local teacher Alva (Rashida Jones), and discovers Klaus (Oscar® winner J.K. Simmons), a mysterious carpenter who lives alone in a cabin full of handmade toys. These unlikely friendships return laughter to Smeerensburg, forging a new legacy of generous neighbors, magical lore and stockings hung by the chimney with care. An animated holiday comedy directed by Despicable Me co-creator Sergio Pablos, KLAUS co-stars Joan Cusack, Will Sasso and Norm Macdonald.
