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{{Short description|2006 film directed by Michael Lembeck}}
{{pp-vandalism|small=yes}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = The Santa Clause 3:<br />The Escape Clause
| image          = The Santa Clause 3 - The Escape Clause (DVD cover art).jpg
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = [[Michael Lembeck]]
| producer       = {{Plainlist|
* [[Robert Newmyer]]
* [[Brian Reilly]]
* Jeffrey Silver
}}
| writer         = {{Plainlist|
* [[Ed Decter]]
* [[John J. Strauss]]
}}
| based_on       = {{Based on|Characters created|[[Leo Benvenuti and Steve Rudnick|Leo Benvenuti<br />Steve Rudnick]]}}
| starring       = {{Plainlist|
* [[Tim Allen]]
* [[Elizabeth Mitchell]]
* [[Judge Reinhold]]
* [[Wendy Crewson]]
* [[Ann-Margret]]
* [[Eric Lloyd]]
* [[Spencer Breslin]]
* [[Liliana Mumy]]
* [[Alan Arkin]]
* [[Martin Short]]
}}
| music          = [[George S. Clinton]]
| cinematography = [[Robbie Greenberg]]
| editing        = [[David Finfer]]
| studio         = {{Plainlist|
* [[Walt Disney Pictures]]
* Outlaw Productions
* Boxing Cat Films
}}
| distributor    = [[Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures|Buena Vista Pictures Distribution]]
| released       = {{film date|2006|11|3}}
| runtime        = 92 minutes
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         = <!-- PLEASE DO NOT ADD $12 MILLION. It is NOT the complete budget, but rather the art department budget. READ MORE ON THE TALK PAGE.  -->
| gross          = $110.8&nbsp;million<ref name="BOM">{{cite web |url=http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=santaclause3.htm |title=The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006) |website=Box Office Mojo |access-date=September 13, 2016 |archive-date=December 26, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131226191647/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=santaclause3.htm |url-status=live }}</ref>
}}

'''''The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause''''' is a 2006 American [[Christmas film|Christmas]] [[comedy film]] directed by [[Michael Lembeck]]. It is the third installment in [[The Santa Clause (franchise)|''The Santa Clause'' franchise]], following ''[[The Santa Clause]]'' (1994) and ''[[The Santa Clause 2]]'' (2002). The film features [[Tim Allen]] returning as Scott Calvin, who must find a way to reverse a spell cast by [[Jack Frost]] ([[Martin Short]]) that caused him to lose his title of [[Santa Claus]]. Allen and Short had previously worked together in the 1997 [[Walt Disney Pictures|Disney]] comedy film, ''[[Jungle 2 Jungle]]''. Most of the supporting actors from the first two films reprise their roles, with the exception of [[David Krumholtz]]. As a result of his absence, Curtis (played by [[Spencer Breslin]]), who was previously the Assistant Head Elf, has now been promoted to Bernard's former position. This was [[Peter Boyle]]'s final film to be released during his lifetime (2008's ''[[All Roads Lead Home]]'' was released posthumously). Its production was completed in February 2006.

The film was released in theaters on November 3, 2006, in the United States and grossed $110 million worldwide. It received negative reviews from critics, with [[Rotten Tomatoes]] calling it "a bag of bland gags and dumb slapstick."

==Plot ==
<!-- Per WP:FILMPLOT, plot summaries for feature films should be between 400 to 700 words. Please check the word count before making any additions. Please go to the talk page before making any major changes. -->
Twelve years have passed since Scott Calvin took on the mantle of [[Santa Claus]]. He is now married to Carol Newman, who is now a teacher in the North Pole.{{efn|name=Timeline|As depicted in ''[[The Santa Clause 2]]'' (2002)}} On Christmas Eve, she tells a group of young elves a story from her life with Scott while expecting their first child. Scott invites his in-laws, Sylvia and Bud Newman, to the [[North Pole]], along with Scott's ex-wife Laura, her husband Neil, their daughter Lucy, and Scott's son Charlie. Meanwhile, he is summoned to a meeting of the Council of Legendary Figures, consisting of [[Mother Nature]], [[Father Time]], the [[Easter Bunny]], Cupid, the [[Tooth fairy|Tooth Fairy]], and the [[Sandman]], concerning the behavior of [[Jack Frost]], who is jealous that he has no holiday or special occasion in his honor. Because he has been promoting himself during the Christmas season, Mother Nature suggests sanctions against him. As Scott is attempting to get the in-laws to come without revealing that he is Santa, Jack Frost negotiates a light sentence of community service at the North Pole, helping Scott and the elves put up various Canadian-themed paraphernalia, as Carol's parents believe Scott is a toymaker in [[Canada]]; Scott consents.

However, Frost's ultimate goal is to trick Santa into renouncing his position. When now Head elf Curtis inadvertently reveals the "Escape Clause", Frost sneaks into The Hall of Snow Globes and steals Scott's one containing Scott as Santa. If Scott holds the globe and wishes to have "never been Santa at all," he will go back in time and undo his career as Santa. When Lucy discovers this, Frost freezes her parents and locks her in a closet. He then orchestrates situations that make Scott think he must resign to make things better.

Frost tricks Scott into invoking the Escape Clause and both are sent to Scott's front yard in [[The Santa Clause|1994]], when Scott caused the original Santa to fall off his roof and had to replace him. Frost causes the original Santa to fall off the roof and grabs Santa's coat before Scott can. Scott is sent to an alternate 2006, where he has been CEO of his old company for the last twelve years and business takes priority over family. Scott also learns that Laura and Neil divorced and Carol moved away years ago.

Scott goes to find Lucy and Neil, who are vacationing at the North Pole, which Frost has turned into a theme park. Christmas is now "Frostmas", the elves are miserable, the reindeer are confined to a petting zoo, and parents can pay for their kids to be placed on the nice list. Scott finds Lucy and questions Neil about Laura; he states that Scott's workaholic absence in Charlie's life put all the pressure on Neil, and Charlie didn't want him to be his father, causing the divorce between him and Laura.

Scott confronts Frost and causes a distraction and convinces Lucy to steal Frost's snow globe for him. Lucy throws the snow globe to Scott, but Frost catches it. Scott plays a recording of Frost saying "I wish I'd never been Santa at all" from a novelty North Pole pen Frost gave him earlier, invoking the Escape Clause, sending both Scott and Frost back to 1994. Scott restrains Jack long enough to let his 1994 counterpart get the coat, making him Santa Claus again, sending both back to the present in the original timeline.

Scott reconciles with his family and Jack is arrested by elf police. He reveals he cannot unfreeze his victims unless he unfreezes himself, something he says he'll never do. Scott convinces Lucy via a snow globe he had given her earlier of her warmly hugging a snowman, to give Frost a "magic hug" to unfreeze and reform him. It works, Laura and Neil unfreeze and Frost becomes a new person. The "Canada" ruse is dropped and Scott appears as Santa to Carol's parents. With two hours remaining before Santa must leave for his [[Christmas]] deliveries, Carol goes into labor.

Months later, while Carol is telling the tale to her students, Scott walks in to reveal their son, Buddy Claus.

==Cast==
* [[Tim Allen]] as Scott Calvin / [[Santa Claus]]
* [[Martin Short]] as [[Jack Frost]]
* [[Elizabeth Mitchell]] as Carol Calvin / [[Mrs. Claus]]
* [[Judge Reinhold]] as Neil Miller
* [[Wendy Crewson]] as Laura Miller
* [[Liliana Mumy]] as Lucy Miller
* [[Alan Arkin]] as Bud Newman
* [[Ann-Margret]] as Sylvia Newman
* [[Spencer Breslin]] as Curtis the Elf
* [[Eric Lloyd]] as Charlie Calvin
* [[Aisha Tyler]] as [[Mother Nature]]
* [[Peter Boyle]] as [[Father Time]]
* [[Michael Dorn]] as the [[Sandman]]
* [[Jay Thomas]] as the [[Easter Bunny]]
* [[Kevin Pollak]] as [[Cupid]]
* [[Art LaFleur]] as the [[Tooth Fairy]]
* [[Abigail Breslin]] as Trish
* [[Bob Bergen]] as the voice of Comet

==Production==
The film was shot from December 2005 to February 2006 at [[Downey Studios]] in [[Downey, California]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2006-09-13-0609130065-story.html|title=Former airplane hangars land supporting role in Hollywood|website=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=13 September 2006 |access-date=2020-11-19|archive-date=2021-10-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211024065447/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2006-09-13-0609130065-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> with Elfsburg Village being shot on Stage 1,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.questia.com/magazine/1P3-1215450721/santa-s-back |title=Archived copy |access-date=2020-11-19 |archive-date=2020-11-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201127003755/https://www.questia.com/magazine/1P3-1215450721/santa-s-back |url-status=dead }}</ref> and the suburban scenes being shot on the studio's backlot.

The looks for Jack Frost and Mrs. Claus were originally different. Frost's initial appearance was more of an English 1960's look that was more impish and elfin, but the threat level was not up to the level that director Michael Lembeck wanted. Costume designer Ingrid Ferrin designed a new costume for Frost with a velvet zoot suit feel. Mrs. Claus's initial appearance was based on her end-credits dance scene in ''[[The Santa Clause 2]]''. In that scene, Elizabeth Mitchell wore prosthetic makeup that made her appear round and chubby. After the second day of principal photography, Lembeck was not seeing any emotional content in Mitchell's performance due to the amount of makeup applied on her.

==Reception ==
===Critical response===
On [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film holds an approval rating of {{RT data|score}} based on {{RT data|count}} reviews, with an average rating of {{RT data|average}}. The site's critical consensus reads, "Playing Jack Frost as an evil cross between Liza Minnelli and Liberace, Martin Short is a welcome presence, but this tired series continues drawing from its bag of bland gags and dumb slapstick."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/santa_clause_3|title=The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (2006)|website=[[Rotten Tomatoes]]|publisher=[[Fandango Media|Fandango]]|access-date={{RT data|access date}}|archive-date=2019-05-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502174420/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/santa_clause_3|url-status=live}}{{RT data|edit}}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the film has a weighted average score of 32 out of 100, based on 17 critics, indicating "generally unfavorable reviews".<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-santa-clause-3-the-escape-clause |title=The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause Reviews |website=Metacritic |access-date=August 23, 2016 |archive-date=November 8, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161108163107/http://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-santa-clause-3-the-escape-clause |url-status=live }}</ref> Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "B+" on an A+ to F scale.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://m.cinemascore.com/|title=The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause – CinemaScore|work=[[CinemaScore]]|access-date=December 15, 2017|archive-date=February 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150217211441/https://m.cinemascore.com/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Erid D. Snider wrote that Allen did ''The Santa Clause'' "The first time with enthusiasm, the second time with affection and the third time for a paycheck". [[Kyle Smith (critic)|Kyle Smith]] wrote, "We're getting a turkey and a ham for the holidays. Santa is so dumb he should be demoted to cleaning up after Geoffrey the Giraffe at Toys 'R' Us." [[Manohla Dargis]] dismissed the film as "Squeaky clean, but you might die of boredom." Finally, [[Mark Kermode]] described it on BBC Radio 5 Live as "the cinematic equivalent of tertiary syphilis".<ref>{{cite web |date= 2011-05-24 |author= David Brown |title= Interview: Kermode and Mayo celebrate a decade of Wittertainment |url= https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2011-05-24/interview-kermode-and-mayo-celebrate-a-decade-of-wittertainment/ |website= [[Radio Times]] |access-date= 2021-05-20 |archive-date= 2020-12-05 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20201205091130/https://www.radiotimes.com/news/2011-05-24/interview-kermode-and-mayo-celebrate-a-decade-of-wittertainment/ |url-status= live }}</ref>

In a more positive review, ''Variety''{{'}}s Justin Chang said ''The Santa Clause 3'' was "a much cleaner, more streamlined ride than its overstuffed predecessor", adding that "Michael Lembeck directs the action with a surer touch and more consistent tone than he brought to ''Santa Clause 2'', and effortlessly pulls off the pic's sentimental, life-affirming moments without tugging too hard."<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Chang |first=Justin|title=The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause|magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=November 2, 2006|access-date=June 23, 2022|url=https://variety.com/2006/film/markets-festivals/the-santa-clause-3-the-escape-clause-1200512234/}}</ref>

===Awards and nominations===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Award
! Category
! Subject
! Result
|-
|rowspan=6|[[Golden Raspberry Award]]
|[[Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Actor|Worst Actor]]
|rowspan=2|[[Tim Allen]]
|{{nom}}
|-
|rowspan=2|[[Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Screen Couple|Worst Screen Couple]]
|{{nom}}
|-
|rowspan=2|[[Martin Short]]
|{{nom}}
|-
|[[Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor|Worst Supporting Actor]]
|{{nom}}
|-
|colspan=2|[[Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Prequel, Remake, Rip-off or Sequel#Worst Prequel or Sequel (2006–2007)|Worst Prequel or Sequel]]
|{{nom}}
|-
|colspan=2|Worst Excuse for Family Entertainment
|{{nom}}
|}

===Box office===
The first two films had become box-office successes during their opening weekends, but ''The Santa Clause 3'' was beaten by ''[[Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan|Borat]]'' for the No. 1 spot.

''The Santa Clause 3'' made $84,500,122 in North America and a worldwide gross of $110,768,122.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.leesmovieinfo.net/title.php?t=3388|title=Lee's Movie Info|website=leesmovieinfo.net|access-date=6 October 2014|archive-date=17 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140717061226/http://www.leesmovieinfo.net/title.php?t=3388|url-status=live}}</ref> The first film made $189,833,357 worldwide at the box-office while the second film made $172,855,065.

==Home video==
The film was released on [[DVD]] and [[Blu-ray Disc]] on November 20, 2007.

==Video game==
A tie-in video game was released on November 1, 2006, for the [[Game Boy Advance]], developed by [[1st Playable Productions]] and published by [[Disney Interactive Studios|Buena Vista Games]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://ign.com/games/the-santa-clause-3-the-escape-clause/gba-853586|title=The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause|website=[[IGN]]|access-date=2016-12-26|archive-date=2014-06-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140607044832/http://www.ign.com/games/the-santa-clause-3-the-escape-clause/gba-853586|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Sequel television series==
{{main|The Santa Clauses}}
A television series serving as a sequel, ''[[The Santa Clauses]]'', was released on Disney+, with [[Tim Allen]] reprising his role as Scott Calvin / Santa Claus and [[Jack Burditt]] serving as showrunner and executive producer. Realizing he can't be Santa Claus forever, an aging Scott Calvin sets off to find a suitable replacement, while helping his children get used to a new adventure south of the pole.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://d23.com/just-announced-tim-allen-returns-to-the-red-suit-for-the-santa-clause-a-limited-series-for-disney/|title = JUST ANNOUNCED: Tim Allen Returns to the Red Suit for the Santa Clause, a Limited Series for Disney+|date = 14 January 2022|access-date = 14 January 2022|archive-date = 15 January 2022|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220115050703/https://d23.com/just-announced-tim-allen-returns-to-the-red-suit-for-the-santa-clause-a-limited-series-for-disney/|url-status = live}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of Christmas films]]
* [[Santa Claus in film]]

== Notes ==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{Official website|http://movies.disney.com/the-santa-clause-3-the-escape-clause}}
* {{IMDb title|0452681}}
* {{AllMovie title|323788}}
* {{rotten tomatoes|santa_clause_3}}
* [http://www.ultimatedisney.com/thesantaclause3.html ''The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause''] at Ultimate Disney

{{Santa Clause}}
{{Michael Lembeck}}
{{Jack Frost}}
{{Disney Christmas films}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Santa Clause 3, The: The Escape Clause}}
[[Category:2006 films]]
[[Category:2000s children's comedy films]]
[[Category:2000s fantasy comedy films]]
[[Category:American children's comedy films]]
[[Category:American Christmas films]]
[[Category:American fantasy comedy films]]
[[Category:American sequel films]]
[[Category:Films about wish fulfillment]]
[[Category:Films directed by Michael Lembeck]]
[[Category:2000s pregnancy films]]
[[Category:Santa Claus in film]]
[[Category:Walt Disney Pictures films]]
[[Category:2000s Christmas comedy films]]
[[Category:American Christmas comedy films]]
[[Category:Jack Frost]]
[[Category:Films about time travel]]
[[Category:2006 comedy films]]
[[Category:Easter Bunny in film]]
[[Category:Sandman in film]]
[[Category:Films shot in California]]
[[Category:American pregnancy films]]
[[Category:2000s English-language films]]
[[Category:2000s American films]]
[[Category:2000s Christmas films]]
[[Category:Films scored by George S. Clinton]]
[[Category:The Santa Clause (franchise)]]