Calling A Christmas Story (1983) a cult classic doesn't even seem fair, as it has become so well known to the point where every person on the street can quote at least one line from Ralphie's story. The iconic film's marketing potential is also off the charts, with a plethora of Christmas merchandise and decorations selling out every year, with the infamous breakable floor lamp appearing almost constantly. The film even received the Broadway musical treatment in 2012 and received three Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical. Finally, to show how much people love the movie, TBS hosts a twenty-four hour marathon consisting of only A Christmas Story on loop. Given the surprisingly massive popularity of the Christmas movie, a sequel, while not necessarily guaranteed, was becoming more and more likely...
We got that sequel back in 2012 with A Christmas Story 2, and we've done our best to forget it exists. Fortunately, another sequel will be released later this year with A Christmas Story Christmas (2022). Now Ralphie grew up in the 1970s era, and unlike that direct-to-video sequel that we're going to pretend never happened, A Christmas Story Christmas will feature some cast members from the classic original. Who exactly is coming back this time? Is the new movie opening or is it in theaters? Will we ever find out if Little Orphan Annie had something else in her secret message beyond telling the kids to drink her Ovaltine? Read below to find out everything we know so far about the return of Ralphie Parker.
Director: Clay Kaytis
Writers: Nick Schenk, Peter Billingsley, Clay Kaytis
Stars: Peter Billingsley, Zack Ward, Erinn Hayes
Nearly 40 years after the release of the original, HBO Max released the official trailer for "A Christmas Story Christmas," heralding the start of the holiday season and the return of original star Peter Billingsley as Ralphie Parker.
No longer a lovable teenager, the trailer shows the 51-year-old actor trying to reconnect with his inner child and come to terms with the death of his father by moving back to Cleveland St. with his new family. With the goal of giving the kids in his hometown the same kind of magical Christmas he once had, Ralphie finds childhood friends and makes new ones to spread holiday cheer. The upcoming release is set in the 1970s, given that the 1983 film "A Christmas Story" was set in the 1940s.
Other actors returning from the original film include Ian Petrella as Randy, Zack Ward as Scut Farkus, Scott Schwartz as Flick, and R.D. Robb as Schwartz. The film marks Petrella's return to the screen since her performance in the 1983 Christmas classic. New cast members include Erinn Hayes, who will play Ralphie's wife, Sandy, along with River Drosche and Julianna Layne, who will play Robbie and Sandy's children.
Clay Kaytis ("The Christmas Chronicles") directs the feature, which was produced and written by Nick Schenk. The film is being produced by Warner Bros., Legendary and Wild West Picture Show Productions.
"A Christmas Story Christmas" will be separate from previous "Christmas Story" sequels, such as 1994's "It Runs in the Family" or the television musical "A Christmas Story Live!" The original film was considered a flop on its debut, but has become a party favorite in recent decades.
The film premieres on HBO Max on November 17.