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The Perks Of Being A Wallflower’s Stephen Chbosky To Helm Santa Is Real

It's a question heard throughout many homes during the holiday season. No, not "Who spiked the eggnog with lighter fuel?" We're talking about the big man himself, Santa Claus, and whether or not he truly exists. I'm still out on this one, but it seems that one filmmaker firmly believes in Saint Nicholas. The Perks Of Being A Wallflower writer-director, Stephen Chbosky, has signed up to direct the festival family romp Santa Is Real, which will also double as a musical to add a dose of extra holiday jollies!

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It’s a question heard throughout many homes during the holiday season. No, not “Who spiked the eggnog with lighter fuel?” We’re talking about the big man himself, Santa Claus, and whether or not he truly exists. I’m still out on this one, but it seems that one filmmaker firmly believes in Saint Nicholas. The Perks Of Being A Wallflower writer-director, Stephen Chbosky, has signed up to helm the festival family romp Santa Is Real, which will also double as a musical to add a dose of extra holiday jollies!

Walden Media and New Regency are behind the pic, which is based on the upcoming novel Santa Claus Is for Real: A True Christmas Fable About the Magic of Believing, by Charles E. Hall and Bret Witter. However, despite the title, the novel is not about THE Santa Claus, who is oft spotted chomping down on mince pies and trying to pork your mum. Instead, the story is based on true events surrounding a man named Hall, who used to participate in Radio City’s Christmas Spectacular.

THR has more details on the movie, which actually sounds like a rather sweet melodrama:

According to the producers, Hall was a struggling actor looking to save his career when he took the job, but the role ended up saving his life. The show’s success also rescued Radio City, and for the last 27 years Santa and his Christmas magic have continued to inspire everyone to believe, according to new Regency and Walden.

At the keyboard on this one is Little Fockers‘ scribe, Larry Stuckey, who’ll be peppering the story with choice gags no doubt. Combine his talents with a skilled director like Chobsky, whose Perks was an adaptation of his own novel that transformed into a painfully accurate representation of teenage plight, and you have a pretty promising project that will hopefully shed that same light of empathy on Santa that we saw in the director’s last effort.

The book Santa Is Real hits shelves on October 14th. You can check out the synopsis below.

A heartwarming true-life fable from the Radio City Christmas Spectacular Santa—including his personal journey of discovering the magic of Christmas.

Every year, over a million people attend the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, where they have the pleasure of seeing Charles Edward Hall don a traditional red suit and become the world’s most famous Santa Claus—a role he has played for twenty-seven straight years.

But Hall wasn’t always such a jolly old soul. Believe it or not, this Santa was once a Scrooge. For the first time, Charles tells the inspiring story of his own transformation, from a wide-eyed child who once caught a glimpse of Santa through a frosty windowpane, to a young man who lost his faith in jolly old Saint Nick.

It wasn’t until fate intervened, in the form of an unexpected role, a stage malfunction, and hundreds of letters from children, that Charles rediscovered his Christmas spirit. Ultimately, he realized Radio City was his life’s work, and that Santa isn’t just a role. He lives in the hearts of the millions who attend the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, and everyone who embraces the Christmas spirit.

Santa Claus, in other words, is real. When Charles needed him most, Santa was there, with kind words and a special gift. As this delightful true-life fable proves, he is there for everyone. All it takes is a good heart, an honest joy, and a belief in the magic of Christmas.