Prep & Landing (2009) Movie Script
Have you ever wondered
how it all gets done?
How Santa gets in and
out of millions of homes
all in one night?
Let's just say, he
has a little help.
The operation has
its challenges...
but we're always prepared.
Our mission statement...
get in, get out,
never be noticed.
I'm part of Prep & Landing...
an elite unit of elves,
getting houses around the world
ready for the
big guy's arrival.
The name's Wayne. Call
sign: Little Drummer Boy.
And I've been doing
this a long time.
A really long time.
Now I'm ready to move up
and leave this job behind.
Oh, yeah. Next year's
gonna be different.
Hey, hey, hey, hey! Excuse me.
This spot is reserved for...
Wayne?
Ah, ah, ah! No ticket
this time, Waterkotte.
You received the promotion?
I was not informed of this!
I'm just heading over to
Magee's office right now...
You know, make it official.
blah, blah, blah...
You just make sure you get a parking
sticker on there pronto, mister!
Hey, hey, hey. Scratch it, I'll
put you on the Naughty List.
Just kidding... but I could.
All Prep & Landing
teams report in.
Oh, Jingle Bells,
Wayne is swell,
he's a director...
Don't be late for our
date under the mistletoe...
Hey, Wayne, we're gonna miss you!
-I'll miss you, Gabe.
It's Bryan!
Naughty List houses
coming online now.
All coal elves check in.
Oh, here he comes.
Here he comes.
Hey, new boss.
-Hey, boss!
My wife, she made
you fruit cake.
Why, thank you! Whoa, heavy!
Feels more like
a pound cake, huh?
What was your name again?
Gristletoe Joe, sir. But
my friends call me Nancy.
I'm gonna remember you
when I'm in charge, Nance.
Now you tell that
lovely wife of yours
that I am gonna savor
every last bite. Yeah.
From me to you.
-Hold on. Hello?
I'll see you at the
Christmas party tomorrow.
Hey, Magee.
-Hello?... Oh, yeah?
Well, this year I'm
Santa's secret Santa.
What am I supposed to
do about that, Jerry?
Hi, Wayne.
Aw, did you lose a bet, sweety?
-It's my celebration tie.
Wayne... you didn't
get the promotion.
What?
-Peterson got it.
My... partner?
-Yeah.
So, ah, no parking sticker?
You're disappointed!
-Oh, no, no! I'm glad for Peterson.
What, are you crazy?
'Cause he was trained by me.
I mean, seriously, are
you crazy? I'm so glad...
that the big guy noticed him...
and not me. So there you go.
Well, good! Because now you
have a new partner to train!
Ah, Tiny? Tiny? Ah, Tiny!
Send him in.
I think you'll really like him.
Top of his class at Kringle Academy.
Ah, a little help here.
-It was a small class.
Please!
I'm Lanny. Call
sign: Tree Skirt.
I'm so excited to
be working with you.
I had a poster of you
on my wall growing up!
Talk about a
Christmas gift, huh?!
Okay! Thrasher is the last
transport, so let's get a move on.
Thrasher? Thrasher,
the reindeer?
Oh, there he is!
Great garland!
I heard Dasher had a cousin, but
I always thought you were a myth!
I am a myth.
-What?
Tell anyone I exist,
and you won't exist.
Wayne, what's
Thrasher's top speed?
Mach 2? Mach 3? I bet it's
more like Mach-a-billion!
This is so tinsel!
Does the phrase, "Silent
Night" mean anything to you?
3, 2, 1...
Wow, that house is
a winter wonderland.
We have an L-shaped
living chamber.
Two visible exits
to the north,
and to the east.
No hidden cameras.
Hey, you know, it seems like you've
got this really holiday... zest going.
You -You know what?
What do you say you fly solo?
Solo? "Solo".
But, it's m-m-m-my first mission.
-You are highly trained, aren't you?
I'll report in at
regular intervals.
I'm going upstairs.
Right. And I'll handle
cookie assessment.
Tree Skirt to
Little Drummer Boy.
No creatures stirring. Over!
Stockings are hung with care.
Am I doing okay?
-Ah, doing fantastic!
That's right.
I'm being naughty.
Tell your buddy Peterson
to put me on his list.
Oh, a bike!
Oh, he's gonna be so happy!
Merry Christmas!
-A Christmas special! That's nice.
Do you wanna watch a
Christmas special? You do?
Oops! Oh, another one?
Do you like that? I don't.
That one? Too bad.
Ah, here we go.
Ah, Little Drummer Boy...
Ah, I could really
use some advice here.
Go with your gut, kid.
Merry Christmas, big guy!
Stale.
It's Jingle Time!
Open hangar doors.
Doors open.
-Cue Rosebud.
Instruments are holly jolly.
Rev up the engines.
Reindeer ready to roll.
We are go for partridge.
He's on his way. I've
made the list, sir.
You checked it twice?
-Per redundancy protocol.
Prep & Landing
teams are under way.
Everything seems to be in proper order.
-Excellent!
Thank you, Miss Holly.
The partridge is in the pear
tree. We are go for launch.
Vehicle?
-Dash away.
Engines?
-Dash away.
Partridge?
-Dash away.
Dash away all!
10, 9, 8, 7...
6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Ho, Ho... Go!
Okay, people, this is it!
364 days of preparation, one
night of perfect execution.
Nothing will go wrong. Nothing
will go wrong. Nothing will...
Sir, there's a storm
alert over Sector 7.
Oh... frostbite!
Hi, I'm Timmy.
What's your name?
I-I-I,
ah...
I-It's Wayne.
You're a lot smaller than
Santa's helpers at the mall.
Are you a baby elf?
No, I'm not a baby!
I have a pension!
You're squeezy.
Little Drummer Boy,
creature stirring!
Another one!
Security breach. Subject
has been sparkled.
Hey, is this one of
the big guy's cookies?
Not anymore.
Oh, we're definitely
behind schedule now!
Then we better get going.
But... but doesn't
section code 808 state:
"All children shall
be snug in their beds"?
So you were having a
jolly holiday downstairs.
Oh, yeah. Fa la la la la!
What's wrong?
Don't you even care?
I've been working Prep
& Landing for 227 years,
and believe me,
the thrill is gone.
But this the most tinsel job ever.
I mean, bringing joy to children?
Sorry.
-Look, Tree Skirt.
We are just tiny ornaments
on some gigantic tree...
slaving away... all for what?
"For what"? For him.
Just look at this face, Wayne. Imagine
the joy on this face tomorrow morning.
Imagine all the great
memories he'll pass
onto his children, and
his children's children.
The thrill may be
gone for you, Wayne,
but it's not gone for him.
You'll learn, rookie.
I thought you were "the"
Prep & Landing guy, Wayne...
but you're just
a lump of coal.
Yeah, well... sometimes
we don't get what we want.
Yes, dear?
-Wayne, it's Magee.
I'm sure you've noticed,
the snowstorm is pretty bad.
Oh, well I have now.
I mean, uh, oh...
What do you mean?
You-you-you-you're not
on the roof? You're...
you're not done?
Oh, okay. Fine. We have
a coal in the stocking.
What?
-We're putting him to bed.
Relax.
-I told you to pull it together,
not crumble like
a Christmas cookie!
If you have...
-8 maids a-milking, this is Jingle Bell.
Come in, 8 maids a-milking.
I really hate that call sign.
-Can barely hear you, Jingle Bell.
We are in the soup here.
-We're flying blind, man!
Tell her we're flying blind!
Why didn't I
listen to Jerry...
and stay in toy design?
Tiny, bring me Big Red.
It's just a little snow,
Magee. I can handle it.
You don't understand, sir.
The site's not prepped.
We have no choice...
Figgy Pudding.
It's never come to
that. What about Timmy?
Sir, with all due respect,
there are millions of other kids
counting on you. It's just not safe.
We'll make it up to
Timmy somehow, I promise.
All right then.
You heard her team.
Figgy p-pudding?
B-b-b-but that means the
big guy's passing us by.
What about Timmy? What
about his Christmas?
Well, I, uh,
never meant for...
this to happen.
This will be the
best Christmas ever.
Thanks, Wayne.
Magee, patch me through to the big guy.
-Wayne, it's over.
Patch me through or I'll tell
everyone about you and Tiny!
Patching you through.
-Hello? This is Partridge.
Sir, my name's Wayne
from Prep & Landing.
I need you to come
to this house, sir.
Oh, I'm afraid Magee's
rerouting me, son.
Sir, there's a child here
that's really excited for you.
We cannot let him down.
I can land you safely.
I have a plan,
and there is time.
Please, sir, let me do my job.
I can't let Timmy down.
I was hoping you'd say that.
Let's give it a shot, my boy.
This is the most tinsel
job ever, huh, partner?
I should never have
patched him through.
Sir!
Roasting chestnuts!
He's turned back!
Oh, no!
No!
You can't see
anything in this storm!
Except your winter wonderland.
How are we gonna make
it through all this snow?
Laughing all the way, my
friend. Laughing all the way.
Lanny! I need some rope!
Is this enough?
Light 'em up!
Good job, Tree Skirt!
Yes!
I'm gonna die!
I'm alive!
Little Drummer Boy, Little Drummer
Boy. We don't see the landing strip.
Almost there, sir.
We have a visual.
The landing zone is prepped.
We're going in.
Cut the engines.
Come in too hot!
It's too late to pull up,
man! It's too late to pull up!
Keep it together, Dancer!
Hang on!
The tail hook!
Um, hi. I-I don't have an appointment,
uh, but I-I was wondering if, um...
Go right in. He's been expecting you.
-He is?
Oh, well, uh... Okay.
Hey, Wayne. You're
missing the party!
They're gonna start
the gift exchange!
No, no. You-You... You go
ahead. I'll catch up later.
Come in, Wayne.
Sir, I am very sorry
about last night.
If you wanna transfer
me, or fire me, I...
...I completely understand.
But, please... make sure
you find Lanny a new partner.
He's a good elf, sir.
Well, uh... that's why
I assigned him to you.
But, don't be silly, Wayne. I'm
not gonna bite your head off.
Everyone slips onto the
naughty list once in a while.
I'm glad you
stopped by though...
so I could say...
Merry Christmas.
It's... It's Timmy's house!
It's a reminder of why
our job is so important.
Now go on. We're not getting
any younger, you know.
Thanks... Santa.
Oh, Wayne... one more thing.
Well? Wha
-What did he say?
He offered me a promotion.
-Wow!
Director of the Nice List.
Congratulations!
I turned him down.
-What?
I'm more of a
Prep & Landing guy.
Oh! Fruit cake?!
Thanks, Magee!
Best Christmas ever!
how it all gets done?
How Santa gets in and
out of millions of homes
all in one night?
Let's just say, he
has a little help.
The operation has
its challenges...
but we're always prepared.
Our mission statement...
get in, get out,
never be noticed.
I'm part of Prep & Landing...
an elite unit of elves,
getting houses around the world
ready for the
big guy's arrival.
The name's Wayne. Call
sign: Little Drummer Boy.
And I've been doing
this a long time.
A really long time.
Now I'm ready to move up
and leave this job behind.
Oh, yeah. Next year's
gonna be different.
Hey, hey, hey, hey! Excuse me.
This spot is reserved for...
Wayne?
Ah, ah, ah! No ticket
this time, Waterkotte.
You received the promotion?
I was not informed of this!
I'm just heading over to
Magee's office right now...
You know, make it official.
blah, blah, blah...
You just make sure you get a parking
sticker on there pronto, mister!
Hey, hey, hey. Scratch it, I'll
put you on the Naughty List.
Just kidding... but I could.
All Prep & Landing
teams report in.
Oh, Jingle Bells,
Wayne is swell,
he's a director...
Don't be late for our
date under the mistletoe...
Hey, Wayne, we're gonna miss you!
-I'll miss you, Gabe.
It's Bryan!
Naughty List houses
coming online now.
All coal elves check in.
Oh, here he comes.
Here he comes.
Hey, new boss.
-Hey, boss!
My wife, she made
you fruit cake.
Why, thank you! Whoa, heavy!
Feels more like
a pound cake, huh?
What was your name again?
Gristletoe Joe, sir. But
my friends call me Nancy.
I'm gonna remember you
when I'm in charge, Nance.
Now you tell that
lovely wife of yours
that I am gonna savor
every last bite. Yeah.
From me to you.
-Hold on. Hello?
I'll see you at the
Christmas party tomorrow.
Hey, Magee.
-Hello?... Oh, yeah?
Well, this year I'm
Santa's secret Santa.
What am I supposed to
do about that, Jerry?
Hi, Wayne.
Aw, did you lose a bet, sweety?
-It's my celebration tie.
Wayne... you didn't
get the promotion.
What?
-Peterson got it.
My... partner?
-Yeah.
So, ah, no parking sticker?
You're disappointed!
-Oh, no, no! I'm glad for Peterson.
What, are you crazy?
'Cause he was trained by me.
I mean, seriously, are
you crazy? I'm so glad...
that the big guy noticed him...
and not me. So there you go.
Well, good! Because now you
have a new partner to train!
Ah, Tiny? Tiny? Ah, Tiny!
Send him in.
I think you'll really like him.
Top of his class at Kringle Academy.
Ah, a little help here.
-It was a small class.
Please!
I'm Lanny. Call
sign: Tree Skirt.
I'm so excited to
be working with you.
I had a poster of you
on my wall growing up!
Talk about a
Christmas gift, huh?!
Okay! Thrasher is the last
transport, so let's get a move on.
Thrasher? Thrasher,
the reindeer?
Oh, there he is!
Great garland!
I heard Dasher had a cousin, but
I always thought you were a myth!
I am a myth.
-What?
Tell anyone I exist,
and you won't exist.
Wayne, what's
Thrasher's top speed?
Mach 2? Mach 3? I bet it's
more like Mach-a-billion!
This is so tinsel!
Does the phrase, "Silent
Night" mean anything to you?
3, 2, 1...
Wow, that house is
a winter wonderland.
We have an L-shaped
living chamber.
Two visible exits
to the north,
and to the east.
No hidden cameras.
Hey, you know, it seems like you've
got this really holiday... zest going.
You -You know what?
What do you say you fly solo?
Solo? "Solo".
But, it's m-m-m-my first mission.
-You are highly trained, aren't you?
I'll report in at
regular intervals.
I'm going upstairs.
Right. And I'll handle
cookie assessment.
Tree Skirt to
Little Drummer Boy.
No creatures stirring. Over!
Stockings are hung with care.
Am I doing okay?
-Ah, doing fantastic!
That's right.
I'm being naughty.
Tell your buddy Peterson
to put me on his list.
Oh, a bike!
Oh, he's gonna be so happy!
Merry Christmas!
-A Christmas special! That's nice.
Do you wanna watch a
Christmas special? You do?
Oops! Oh, another one?
Do you like that? I don't.
That one? Too bad.
Ah, here we go.
Ah, Little Drummer Boy...
Ah, I could really
use some advice here.
Go with your gut, kid.
Merry Christmas, big guy!
Stale.
It's Jingle Time!
Open hangar doors.
Doors open.
-Cue Rosebud.
Instruments are holly jolly.
Rev up the engines.
Reindeer ready to roll.
We are go for partridge.
He's on his way. I've
made the list, sir.
You checked it twice?
-Per redundancy protocol.
Prep & Landing
teams are under way.
Everything seems to be in proper order.
-Excellent!
Thank you, Miss Holly.
The partridge is in the pear
tree. We are go for launch.
Vehicle?
-Dash away.
Engines?
-Dash away.
Partridge?
-Dash away.
Dash away all!
10, 9, 8, 7...
6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Ho, Ho... Go!
Okay, people, this is it!
364 days of preparation, one
night of perfect execution.
Nothing will go wrong. Nothing
will go wrong. Nothing will...
Sir, there's a storm
alert over Sector 7.
Oh... frostbite!
Hi, I'm Timmy.
What's your name?
I-I-I,
ah...
I-It's Wayne.
You're a lot smaller than
Santa's helpers at the mall.
Are you a baby elf?
No, I'm not a baby!
I have a pension!
You're squeezy.
Little Drummer Boy,
creature stirring!
Another one!
Security breach. Subject
has been sparkled.
Hey, is this one of
the big guy's cookies?
Not anymore.
Oh, we're definitely
behind schedule now!
Then we better get going.
But... but doesn't
section code 808 state:
"All children shall
be snug in their beds"?
So you were having a
jolly holiday downstairs.
Oh, yeah. Fa la la la la!
What's wrong?
Don't you even care?
I've been working Prep
& Landing for 227 years,
and believe me,
the thrill is gone.
But this the most tinsel job ever.
I mean, bringing joy to children?
Sorry.
-Look, Tree Skirt.
We are just tiny ornaments
on some gigantic tree...
slaving away... all for what?
"For what"? For him.
Just look at this face, Wayne. Imagine
the joy on this face tomorrow morning.
Imagine all the great
memories he'll pass
onto his children, and
his children's children.
The thrill may be
gone for you, Wayne,
but it's not gone for him.
You'll learn, rookie.
I thought you were "the"
Prep & Landing guy, Wayne...
but you're just
a lump of coal.
Yeah, well... sometimes
we don't get what we want.
Yes, dear?
-Wayne, it's Magee.
I'm sure you've noticed,
the snowstorm is pretty bad.
Oh, well I have now.
I mean, uh, oh...
What do you mean?
You-you-you-you're not
on the roof? You're...
you're not done?
Oh, okay. Fine. We have
a coal in the stocking.
What?
-We're putting him to bed.
Relax.
-I told you to pull it together,
not crumble like
a Christmas cookie!
If you have...
-8 maids a-milking, this is Jingle Bell.
Come in, 8 maids a-milking.
I really hate that call sign.
-Can barely hear you, Jingle Bell.
We are in the soup here.
-We're flying blind, man!
Tell her we're flying blind!
Why didn't I
listen to Jerry...
and stay in toy design?
Tiny, bring me Big Red.
It's just a little snow,
Magee. I can handle it.
You don't understand, sir.
The site's not prepped.
We have no choice...
Figgy Pudding.
It's never come to
that. What about Timmy?
Sir, with all due respect,
there are millions of other kids
counting on you. It's just not safe.
We'll make it up to
Timmy somehow, I promise.
All right then.
You heard her team.
Figgy p-pudding?
B-b-b-but that means the
big guy's passing us by.
What about Timmy? What
about his Christmas?
Well, I, uh,
never meant for...
this to happen.
This will be the
best Christmas ever.
Thanks, Wayne.
Magee, patch me through to the big guy.
-Wayne, it's over.
Patch me through or I'll tell
everyone about you and Tiny!
Patching you through.
-Hello? This is Partridge.
Sir, my name's Wayne
from Prep & Landing.
I need you to come
to this house, sir.
Oh, I'm afraid Magee's
rerouting me, son.
Sir, there's a child here
that's really excited for you.
We cannot let him down.
I can land you safely.
I have a plan,
and there is time.
Please, sir, let me do my job.
I can't let Timmy down.
I was hoping you'd say that.
Let's give it a shot, my boy.
This is the most tinsel
job ever, huh, partner?
I should never have
patched him through.
Sir!
Roasting chestnuts!
He's turned back!
Oh, no!
No!
You can't see
anything in this storm!
Except your winter wonderland.
How are we gonna make
it through all this snow?
Laughing all the way, my
friend. Laughing all the way.
Lanny! I need some rope!
Is this enough?
Light 'em up!
Good job, Tree Skirt!
Yes!
I'm gonna die!
I'm alive!
Little Drummer Boy, Little Drummer
Boy. We don't see the landing strip.
Almost there, sir.
We have a visual.
The landing zone is prepped.
We're going in.
Cut the engines.
Come in too hot!
It's too late to pull up,
man! It's too late to pull up!
Keep it together, Dancer!
Hang on!
The tail hook!
Um, hi. I-I don't have an appointment,
uh, but I-I was wondering if, um...
Go right in. He's been expecting you.
-He is?
Oh, well, uh... Okay.
Hey, Wayne. You're
missing the party!
They're gonna start
the gift exchange!
No, no. You-You... You go
ahead. I'll catch up later.
Come in, Wayne.
Sir, I am very sorry
about last night.
If you wanna transfer
me, or fire me, I...
...I completely understand.
But, please... make sure
you find Lanny a new partner.
He's a good elf, sir.
Well, uh... that's why
I assigned him to you.
But, don't be silly, Wayne. I'm
not gonna bite your head off.
Everyone slips onto the
naughty list once in a while.
I'm glad you
stopped by though...
so I could say...
Merry Christmas.
It's... It's Timmy's house!
It's a reminder of why
our job is so important.
Now go on. We're not getting
any younger, you know.
Thanks... Santa.
Oh, Wayne... one more thing.
Well? Wha
-What did he say?
He offered me a promotion.
-Wow!
Director of the Nice List.
Congratulations!
I turned him down.
-What?
I'm more of a
Prep & Landing guy.
Oh! Fruit cake?!
Thanks, Magee!
Best Christmas ever!