Producer Will Packer shares joy of making 'Dashing Through the Snow' Christmas movie

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Will Packer is one of Hollywood's most successful movie producers, especially when it comes to comedy.

His latest film is "Dashing Through the Snow," which is now streaming on Disney+.

Packer joined ABC7 to talk about his new holiday adventure.

"I love the holiday movie genre," Packer said. "I think that it's some of the most stressful, amazing, high stakes, wonderful, potentially disastrous times of the year for all of us, for families in general."

The film stars Ludacris and Chicago native comedian Lil Rel Howery, who plays Santa.

"We wanted the perfect Santa who could be bold, loud gregarious," Packer said. "We got Chi-Town representer Lil Rel. He came in and brought a flavor, unlike any other Santa you've seen."

Ludacris plays a holiday hater who clashes with Howery's Santa Claus.

"I've been looking for a project to work with Luda on," Packer said. " He came in, he plays this character, a social worker, so he believes in helping people, but he does not believe in Christmas...no aspect of it. "So that makes him a little bit of a curmudgeon."

Packer believe it is important to have diversity in the space of holiday movies.

"I love that it's a Black Santa, because we've had non-Black Santas forever," Packer said. "When I was growing up I used to look and not see myself in these roles. One of the things that I try to do with my films is to make movies that look like the world."

Packer also shared his love for Chicago.

"Somebody already pitched me a sequel to 'Dashing Through the Snow' in Illinois, so I gotta talk to Rel about that, I could see that," Packer said. "You all may have too much Christmas spirit for me to shoot in winter in Chicago, but I love it. It's a beautiful city."

The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of ABC7 Chicago.