Johnny English Strikes Again-maker David Kerr is set to direct the Irish Christmas story Joy To The World.

Kerr will direct the project from a script by Ronan Blaney, best known for writing the 2014 Oscar-nominated short film Boogaloo And Graham.

Described as a coming-of-age story, Joy To The World will revolve around a bank robber dressed as Santa Claus, who holds up a bank, and a child disillusioned with Christmas who encounters a man in the woods, also dressed as Santa and claiming to have fallen out of his sleigh. The pair strike up a friendship and go on an adventure.

Joy To The World will be produced by Kate McColgan for Calico Pictures, and Vivien Muller-Rommel and Michael Lehmann for Studio Hamburg UK.