The Polar Express 2: Confirmation & Everything We Know (2024)

The Polar Express, a 2004 American animated Christmas fantasy film, and its recent surge in popularity has led to speculation over the Polar Express 2 release date. Directed by Robert Zemeckis and based on the 1985 children's book by Chris Van Allsburg, The Polar Express uses a blend of live-action and motion-capture computer animation. Its story unfolds on Christmas Eve in the 1950s, following a young boy who embarks on a magical train journey to the North Pole, delving into the heart of Christmas spirit and belief.

Upon release, The Polar Express garnered mixed reviews but was recognized for its technological innovation and was listed in the 2006 Guinness World Records as the first all-digital capture film. Despite initial critiques about its animation dipping into the uncanny valley, the film has been embraced over time and is considered one of the best Christmas movies for kids. Following a fake A.I. poster, there have been talks about The Polar Express 2 release date.

The Polar Express 2 Is Confirmed As In Development

Though excitement over a potential sequel was drummed up in late 2023 due in large part to a fake poster that circulated on social media, there were no actual plans for The Polar Express 2. However, that all changed in early 2024 when The Polar Express 2 was announced as in development by producer Gary Goetzman. Two decades after Robert Zemeckis' cult classic Christmas movie hit theaters, Goetzman claims that the movie "is trying to be worked out now, for sure". Despite that cryptic clue, the producer has provided no further details on the project.

Though the announcement is exciting, Goetzman's claims do not guarantee that the movie will ever get made. Since the project is very clearly in the extremely early stages of development, The Polar Express 2 is probably just a kernel of an idea being floated by the studio. Several factors hinder the movie's future, including the fact that Chris Van Allsburg never wrote a sequel and that the original movie was something of a notoriously expensive flop upon release.

The Fake Tom Hanks Polar Express 2 Poster Explained

The rumors around a sequel were first stirred in November 2023 by an AI-generated poster for a fictional movie titled The Christmas Express. The poster, featuring Tom Hanks as the iconic train conductor, suggested a live-action Polar Express rather than CG style and claimed a December 2023 release exclusive to the Max streaming service. The convincing yet fictitious poster, created by a Facebook satire page named YODA BBY ABY, went viral, being shared over 110,000 times with enthusiastic reactions from fans.

Small details made the poster even more convincing. A number of Warner Bros. movies were made exclusively for HBO Max, including another Christmas legacy sequel, 2022's A Christmas Story Christmas, which led many to believe in the sequel's existence. However, the poster was ultimately revealed to be fake. As it remains, The Polar Express 2 release date is nonexistent, even if it is in development.