When Bad Santa came out in 2003 it quickly became something of a cult classic. As an antidote to the sugary, feel-good nature of most Christmas movies, it’s hard to fault. Bad Santa stars Billy Bob Thornton as the world’s meanest department store Santa, who dons the red and white beardy costume as part of a yearly con. It’s scabrous, quotable and funny, and a must-see for many each festive season.
You can enjoy catching up with Billy Bob by watching Bad Santa online, on TV or on any mobile device. Here’s how.
Stream Bad Santa online free
In the UK, Bad Santa is available for streaming from Sky’s Now service (formerly Now TV) on any mobile, tablet, laptop, PC or TV that supports the Now app (most streaming set-top boxes do).
You’ll need a Cinema Membership, which costs £9.99 per month, but Now offers a 7-day free trial. Sign up at the Now website to get your fill of festive films. Sky customers can stream the film at no extra cost.
In the US, you can watch it free on Pluto TV. If Pluto TV isn’t available in your region, you could get access via a VPN – check out our round-up of the best VPNs for streaming to get started.
You can also watch on Paramount + but this will require a subscription. Paramount+ Essential is $5.99 per month but you may be able to get a week’s free trial if you sign up on the website.
Rent Bad Santa on DVD free
Bad Santa is also available via DVD rental subscription service Cinema Paradiso. You can sign up here for a 30-day free trial which means you can rent a physical copy for free.
Rent a digital copy of Bad Santa for less
You can rent a digital copy of Bad Santa from most major streaming platforms in the UK:
Here are the best US options:
If you don’t have access to the streaming platform you want from your region you might be able to get access via a VPN – here are all the best VPNs for streaming.
Buy a digital copy of Bad Santa for less
If you want to own a digital copy of Bad Santa for life, here are the prices on the most popular platforms:
Buy Bad Santa on DVD
You can pick up a used copy of Bad Santa on DVD on Amazon for only £1.12 (but a much pricier £12.98 on Blu-ray).
Looking for more Christmas films? Here are the best Christmas movies to stream in the UK.