Will there be a prequel to The Polar Express amid 'Christmas Express' rumours?
Rumours are rife that a prequel movie to The Polar Express is coming to Max this Christmas.
With the Christmas countdown fast approaching, naturally thoughts are already turning towards the best new Christmas films for 2023.
And one festive film many appear to be looking forward to this year is a Polar Express prequel starring Tom Hanks, with a poster showing a younger version of Hanks's Conductor character from the original film doing the rounds on social media.
Released in 2004 and an adaptation of Chris Van Allsburg’s 1985 children’s tale, The Polar Express tells the story of a sceptical young boy who has his faith in Father Christmas restored when he is invited to travel to the North Pole on a magical train.
So, can fans expect The Christmas Express to come to Max this Christmas, as the poster doing the rounds on social media teases, or are the rumours too good to be true? Read on for everything you need to know.
Will there be a prequel to The Polar Express?
No, The Christmas Express isn’t coming to Max in 2023.
While a fake fan-made poster for a film titled The Christmas Express has been widely shared on social media, there has been no word from Hanks or HBO on any such film.
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The poster teases the film as a prequel to The Polar Express, featuring a younger version of Tom Hanks's Conductor character from the original film.
It also features the Warner Bros Logo (the studio behind the original movie), and claims the film is coming "exclusively on Max" in December 2023.
Unfortunately, those hoping to watch The Christmas Express this festive season won’t find it on Max, or on any streaming platform, because it doesn't exist.
Where to watch The Polar Express
The Christmas Express might be a hoax, but fans can always watch (or re-watch) the original movie, which is available on Sky Cinema and NOW.
To access The Polar Express on NOW, you’ll need to sign up for a Cinema pass, which costs £9.99 per month.
In addition, you can buy The Polar Express on DVD from Amazon UK at the cost of £4.99, or £5.99 on Blu-ray.
Alternatively, you can head over to Amazon Prime Video where the film is available to rent for £3.49 and as a digital download for £7.99.
Check out more of our Film and Sci-Fi coverage, or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what’s on tonight.
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Authors
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
