Some American holidays are intrinsically tied to certain traditions. Fourth of July and fireworks shows. Thanksgiving and Black Friday shopping. And then there’s Christmas and the movie theater.

Moviegoing may not be the first thing you think of when considering the Christmas season. There are the trees, sure, then the carols, even the cut-out cookies. But going to the movie theater either on Christmas, or in the days surrounding it, has become a cherished holiday tradition for many families.

“On that day, it’s like the movie theater becomes a midnight mass,” said Matthew Germenis, 33, who’s been going to the movies on Christmas since he was a teen. “It’s just something really, really special.”

Germenis isn’t alone. The holiday season has become a massive time for movie theaters and studios. In years past, film franchises like “Harry Potter” and “The Lord of the Rings” became holiday classics thanks purely to holiday release dates — in 2001, the first Harry Potter film, released just before Thanksgiving, topped the holiday season box office, while “The Fellowship of the Ring” came in at No. 3. The former went on to become the highest grossing movie of the entire year.

In other words: The holiday season, especially the week between Christmas Eve and New Year’s Day, pulls thousands of people to cinemas, many in the name of tradition. But exactly how the holiday and moviegoing became so intertwined is, well, a bit of a Christmas miracle.

Arnold Schwarzenegger is a man of many talents, as he holds titles including body builder, politician and movie star.

With his latest movie role, however, the former governor of California can now add becoming Santa Claus to his list, as he embodies the Christmas gift-giver in an upcoming holiday movie titled “The Man with the Bag.”

“Santa Claus is coming to town!” Schwarzenegger wrote on his Instagram page on Tuesday, later adding, “I can’t wait to share all of this Christmas cheer with each and every one of you.”

Schwarzenegger shared a photo of himself posing with his costar, actor Alan Ritchson, with whom he’s currently filming in New York City.

The “Terminator” star appears in a shaggy white beard and hairdo, and a red wool coat over a festive Christmas sweater in the photo.

“The Man With the Bag” follows Santa, who turns to his naughty list to find a former thief to help him get his stolen magic bag back, according to a summary of the Adam Shankman-directed film.

Schwarzenegger is no stranger to spreading holiday cheer through his movies.

In 1996, he starred in the holiday family comedy “Jingle All the Way” as a father who goes to great and hilarious lengths to get his hands on a popular toy to give to his son for Christmas.

“The Man With the Bag” will be Schwarzenegger’s first major feature film role since 2019’s “Terminator: Dark Fate.”

Oscar-winning director Christopher Nolan will be taking audiences to mythical Greece with his latest project.

Universal Pictures announced this week that Nolan will be directing a cinematic adaptation of “The Odyssey,” an ancient poem believed to be written by Homer between 750 and 650 BCE centering on the character Odysseus’ 10-year trek home after the Trojan War.

Nolan’s forthcoming adaptation is described as “a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology,” according to the studio’s announcement posted to their X page Monday.

Zendaya, Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson along with Oscar-winners Matt Damon, Lupita Nyong’o, Anne Hathaway and Charlize Theron are reportedly set to star in the film.

Holland recently spoke about signing onto the project, saying on “The Dish” podcast last week that the film hasn’t started shooting yet. He added that Nolan only “loosely pitched” it to him when they met to discuss the project, but that he still didn’t know all the details.

The “Spider-Man” actor also touched on working with his girlfriend Zendaya, joking that “studios love it” when they’re on the same project because they only have to pay for “one hotel room.”

Pattinson, Damon and Hathaway have all previously appeared in Nolan’s films, including “Tenet,” “Interstellar” and “Oppenheimer.”

Nolan is also behind epic films including “Inception,” “The Dark Knight,” “Dunkirk” and his most recent film “Oppenheimer,” which scored big at last year’s Oscars when it took home the trophy for best picture. Nolan won that award as a producer, and also took home the Academy Award for best director.

According to Universal’s social media announcement this week, “The Odyssey” will bring Homer’s “foundational saga to IMAX film screens for the first time” and will open in theaters on July 17, 2026.