'Hot Frosty' is the latest film in Netflix's Christmas Cinematic Universe. Here's how it connects to 'Falling For Christmas' and other movies.
Petr Maur / Netflix
- "Hot Frosty" features cameos from Lindsay Lohan and Jennifer Coolidge, and a nod to "Mean Girls."
- That's because it's part of Netflix's Christmas Cinematic Universe.
- Here's what to know about the universe and where "Hot Frosty" fits in.
The Netflix Christmas Cinematic Universe is expanding again with the streamer's new movie "Hot Frosty."
Since 2017's movie "Christmas Inheritance," Netflix has been making some of its bigger Christmas movies connect, from cameos of pre-established characters to scenes being shown in the background of a different film.
According to Netflix's data, "Falling For Christmas" is the most successful film from the universe, staying in the streamer's top ten most watched films list for six weeks in 2022 and returning to the list for an extra week in November 2023.
Other movies have lasted two to three weeks in the top ten, which indicates that the cinematic universe has yet to make a splash like other crossover franchises like Marvel and Star Wars.
Netflix's latest Christmas offering, "Hot Frosty," follows a woman (Lacey Chabert) who accidentally turns a snowman into a real man (Dustin Milligan) with the power of a magical Christmas scarf.
The movie's trailer, released last month, featured a clip showing that Lindsay Lohan's 2022 movie "Falling For Christmas" will be linked to "Hot Frosty."
Here's what to know about all the easter eggs in "Hot Frosty."
There are two "Mean Girls" reference in "Hot Frosty."
Paramount Pictures
Before we get to the Netflix Christmas connections, we first need to address "Hot Frosty" seemingly making two references to 2004's "Mean Girls."
Chabert played high school gossiper Gretchen Wieners in that film, while Lohan was its protagonist, Cady Heron, which may be why "Hot Frosty" is connected to "Falling for Christmas."
Early in the film, Bobby Helms' "Jingle Bell Rock" is playing as Chabert's character Kathy gets ready. "Mean Girls" fans may remember that Gretchen and Cady dance to that song for their school's Christmas talent show in the film.
The second, more direct, nod happens later when Kathy explains to Jack, her living snowman, how to use the TV.
When Kathy puts on the TV, the scene from "Falling for Christmas" where Lohan's character Sierra wakes up from a coma plays on the screen.
Kathy then says: "That is so funny. That looks like a girl I went to high school with."
This is a throwaway joke but it could mean that in in this world Kathy somehow still went to school with a version of Sierra.
"Hot Frosty" brings "Single All The Way" into the Netflix Christmas Cinematic Universe.
Netflix
2021's "Single All The Way" was one of the few popular holiday movies to be left out of Netflix's Christmas crossover universe — but no longer.
During a tense conversation in "Hot Frosty," a TV in the background shows a scene from "Single All The Way" where Jennifer Coolidge's character, Aunty Sandy, performs in a nativity play.
This retroactive addition does not change the "Single All The Way" story, but establish it as a fictional movie within the "Hot Frosty" world.
"Hot Frosty" exists in a different world to "Falling for Christmas."
Netflix
"Hot Frosty" also references Netflix's "Christmas Prince" franchise when Kathy takes Jack to the doctor to figure out why he is ice cold.
The town doctor, Dottie (Katy Mixon), believes that Jack is a snowman who has been brought to life.
Kathy, in disbelief, says: "Sure. Right. And I'm the queen of Aldovia."
Aldovia is a fictional country featured in the "Christmas Prince" franchise, which has a royal family. In "Falling for Christmas" and some of the other Netflix Christmas movies, characters see "Christmas Prince" movies on their TV screens.
Other films, like "Hot Frosty," exist in the same world as the "Christmas Prince" franchise.
For this to make sense, "Hot Frosty" and the "Christmas Prince" franchise would have to exist in a separate parallel world to "Falling for Christmas" within the Netflix Christmas universe. Alternatively, Netflix does not keep to a continuity within its universe and uses these scenes to promote other films.
"Hot Frosty" is available to stream on Netflix.