Even though Christmas has passed, Warner Bros. and Legendary hope to offer us all a late gift. According to sources, the two businesses have reached an agreement for Peter Billingsley to play Ralphie once more in the upcoming HBO Max film A Christmas Story Christmas, a prequel to the 1983 holiday classic A Christmas Story.
The beloved holiday film “A Christmas Story” is finally getting a follow-up, and Peter Billingsley, who starred in the original, will reprise his role and serve as producer nearly 40 years after the film’s first release. The production has Warner Bros. and Legendary as sponsors.
From a story by Nick Schenk (Cry Macho, “The Mule”), “A Christmas Story Christmas” will be directed by Clay Kaytis (“The Christmas Chronicles”). Under the Wild West Picture Show Productions label that he co-owns with Billingsley, Vince Vaughn is also producing.
“A Christmas Story,” which had a disastrous opening weekend in 1983, has since grown to become one of the most cherished Christmas films in movie history. The narrative’s straightforward, nostalgic tale of Ralphie (Billingsley), a 1940s child who urgently wants a Red Ryder BB weapon that everyone, including the neighbourhood mall Santa, warns him will shoot his eyes out, is a large part of the story’s charm. The new movie will be set in the 1970s, when a mature Ralphie invites his family to celebrate Christmas at his childhood home.
The original film, which was set in 1940, chronicled the wintertime antics of nine-year-old Ralphie (Billingsley), who is obsessed with owning a Red Ryder BB weapon. The sequel will centre on the character as an adult in the 1970s, who goes back to the Cleveland Street home to give his children a perfect Christmas like the one he experienced as a child. Ralphie reconciles the death of his “Old Man,” reunites with old pals, and plants the seeds for the beginnings of the cherished holiday classic with the same attention to realistic tone as the original.
The sequel to Christmas Chronicles will be directed by Clay Kaytis, while the sequel’s script was written by Nick Schenk (Cry Macho, The Mule), who will also executive produce. Via their Wild West Picture Show Productions, Billingsley and Vince Vaughn will produce. For Legendary, Cale Boyter and Jay Ashenfelter will supervise.
Since appearing in the first movie, Billingsley has gone on to have a successful career in filmmaking, directing movies like Couples Retreat, producing the Broadway musical A Christmas Story the Musical, which has received three Tony nominations, and producing Dinner For Five, which received an Emmy nomination.
The original movie was filmed in Cleveland and Toronto, and the location where it was filmed even became a tourist attraction. The new movie will start filming in Hungary in February.
Billingsley switched from acting to producing as an adult after having a steady career as a child actor, beginning as a co-producer of Jon Favreau’s mafia comedy “Made” in 2001. “The Break-Up,” “Four Christmases,” and Favreau’s 2008 Marvel Studios feature “Iron Man” were all executive produced by him. His most recent production was the animated series “F Is for Family,” which he executive produced.
According to rumours, Julie Hagerty, who starred in the movie Airplane!, would play Billingsley’s mother.
Nick Schenk, who will also executive produce, wrote the script, while Clay Kaytis will handle directing. Along with Vince Vaughn, Billingsley will produce under the Wild West Picture Show name. For Legendary, Cale Boyter and Jay Ashenfelter will supervise. Bulgarian production is scheduled to begin at the end of February.
The movie centres on an adult Ralphie (Billingsley) in the 1970s who goes back to the Cleveland Street home to give his children a fantastic Christmas like the one he had as a child. Ralphie reconciles the death of his Old Man, reunites with boyhood friends, and plants the seeds for the beginnings of the cherished holiday classic with the same attention to real-life tone as in the previous book.
Billingsley has enjoyed success as a filmmaker since his breakthrough performance as Ralphie in A Christmas Story, with hits like the comedy Couples Retreat starring Vaughn. Additionally, he was the producer of the Broadway production of A Christmas Story The Musical, which was nominated for three Tony Awards, including Best Musical. Mitch Smelkinson is his attorney. Through Wild West Picture Show, Billingsley and Vaughn have worked as producers on a number of movies, including The Break-Up, Four Christmases, Couples Retreat, and the F Is for Family television series.
With his work on the recent Clint Eastwood films Cry Macho, The Mule, and Torino—for which he was awarded a National Board of Review award for Original Screenplay—Schenk has established himself as the two-time Oscar winner’s go-to screenwriter. Management 360 and Lichter, Grossman, Nichols are his legal representatives.
Christmas Chronicles, starring Kurt Russell for Netflix, and The Angry Birds Movie, which he co-directed with Fergal Reilly and brought in more than $350 million globally, are among Kaytis’ directorial works. He is represented by Weston, Garrou & Dewitt’s Mark P. Binder, Artists First, and UTA.
Billingsley praised the late Bob Clark, the director of “A Christmas Story,” for guiding him through his shift to working behind the camera in an interview with Variety in 2018 to celebrate the 35th anniversary of the movie.
Billingsley described him as “very encouraging and supportive.” “I would stop by his set. Together, we would converse and play golf.
Where to Watch A Christmas Story 3 (2022)?
A Christmas Story 3 (2022) will be premiering on HBO Max on November 4, 2022. We do not recommend illegal streaming and always suggest paying for the content you like to watch.
Is A Christmas Story 3 (2022) available on Amazon Prime?
Amazon prime will not be streaming A Christmas Story 3 (2022). Additionally, several other films are streaming on Prime. Our recommendations are The Voyagers, It’s a Wonderful Life, Notting Hill, and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
Is A Christmas Story 3 (2022) available on HBO Max?
HBO Max will be streaming A Christmas Story 3 (2022). However, HBO’s subscribers can enjoy its other popular streams like Euphoria, When Harry Met Sally and Promising Young Woman.
Is A Christmas Story 3 (2022) available on Hulu?
A Christmas Story 3 (2022) is not available on Hulu. The new release line-up additionally includes Pam and Tommy, How I Met Your Father, Abbott Elementary, and Vikings.
Is A Christmas Story 3 (2022) available on Netflix?
A Christmas Story 3 (2022) will not be available to stream on Netflix. However, other brilliant shows like The Power of The Dog, The Social Network, Tick, Tick, Boom, and much more are available.