Universal and 87North’s action-horror film Violent Night starring David Harbour as an unconventional Santa is off to a positive start with $1.1M previews Thursday night. This time of year is usually before the Oscar baits drop, but we’re still in a period of restructuring and returning to movies even after two years.

Violent Night went up against Marvel juggernaut Black Panther: Wakanda Forever which will more than likely take the top spot at the box office again. Violent Night is projected to have a solid $10 million opening weekend, which considering its not typical holiday fair, is pretty surprising.

With under-the-radar and outlandishly gory movies like Smile and Barbarian beating expectations, it’s not a bad time to try and do something audiences might not expect. The trailer for Violent Night hit over 30 million views in a short amount of time, so the buzz and excitement are very much there.

Directed by Norwegian filmmaker Tommy Wirkola, the famed director of another horror comedy movie, Dead Snow. Violent Night has been promoted as a mashup of Die Hard and Home Alone. The story follows an elite group of mercenaries who break into a family compound on Christmas Eve and hold everyone hostage. However, the villains aren’t prepared for a surprise combatant, Santa Claus, and he’s ready to deck the halls with body bags.

Violent Night stars David Harbour, John Leguizamo, Alex Hassell, Alexis Louder, Edi Patterson, Cam Gigandet, Leah Brady, and Beverly D’Angelo.