Anna Kendrick in talks to play female Santa Claus in new Disney movie

Anna Kendrick is certainly no stranger to festive films, having appeared in Happy Christmas back in 2014. But now, the Pitch Perfect star is looking to step it up a gear when it comes to the genre now that she is in talks to play a female version of Santa Claus in a new Disney movie.

If she signs a deal with the studio, the movie - which is developing under the working title Nicole - will see Kendrick play Santa's daughter, who is drafted into the family business when her father decides to retire and her brother ends up chickening out right before his present-giving solo debut on Christmas Eve. It will be channelling Sony Pictures' animation Arthur Christmas somewhat... but that is far from a bad thing given how well that film was received back in 2011!

Miss Congeniality scribe Marc Lawrence is set to direct, working from his own screenplay. Best known for this type of scriptwriting, Lawrence has previously helmed pictures such as Two Weeks Notice, Music And Lyrics and Did You Hear About The Morgans? Most recently, he directed romance comedy The Rewrite starring JK Simmons, Marisa Tomei and Hugh Grant.

Aside from the obvious outings centred around Mickey Mouse, Disney has turned out a number of Christmas movies over the past few decades including The Nightmare Before Christmas and The Muppet Christmas Carol. Their biggest money-spinner however has been the Tim Allen-fronted The Santa Clause trilogy which collectively made $470.1m (£382.2m) at the worldwide box office.

Regardless of whether she dons the inevitable red outfit and hops on that sleigh, Kendrick will next be seen in wedding-based comedy drama Table 19, opposite Craig Robinson, Stephen Merchant and Lisa Kudrow. She is also gearing up to start filming the eagerly-anticipated sequel Pitch Perfect 3 alongside returning co-stars Anna Camp, Brittany Snow, Rebel Wilson and Elizabeth Banks as well as franchise newbie, Ruby Rose.

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