A Christmas Story Christmas (Exclusive Series) (HBO Max)
- Matt Palmer
- Dec 23, 2022
- 3 min read
Initial release/streaming date: November 17, 2022
Studios: Warner Bros/Legendary Pictures/HBO Max/Wild West Picture Show Productions
Tagline: Ralphie Comes Home
Plot: Ralphie returns to give his kids a magical Christmas like the one he had as a child. Long-awaited follow-up to the holiday classic.
Cast
Peter Billingsley - Ralphie Parker
Erinn Hayes - Sandy Parker
River Drosche - Mark
Julianne Layne - Julie
Julie Hagerty - Mrs. Parker
Scott Schwartz - Flick
R.D. Robb - Scwartz
Davis Murphy - Dalbert Bumpus
Zack Ward - Officer Scut Farkus
Ian Petrella - Randy
Derek Morse - Ike
Henry Miller - Larry Novak
Writer(s): Mick Schenk (Cry Macho; The Mule)
Clay Kaytis
Jean Shepherd (based upon the book "In God We Trust, All Others Pay Cash")
Director: Clay Kaytis (The Christmas Chronicles)
Rated PG for language and some rude material/behavior (98 minutes)
'A Christmas Story' will always be a holiday classic for years to come. I admit when I first watched the original movie, I couldn't really get into it. But, after giving it quite a few watches over the years (mainly thanks due to the 24 hour marathons on TBS and TNT), I really began to like the movie. There was a DVD sequel released called 'A Christmas Story 2,' which not a lot of people knew it actually existed ... and maybe, just maybe, I might check it out for the next holiday season. From what I have been hearing about the DVD sequel, it might be good that not a lot of people know about it lol.
Now, HBO Max has a direct/legacy sequel to the original movie and this is definitely a great follow-up to the beloved classic!!
A 'Christmas Story Christmas' has the same vibe as the original and it was cool seeing the child actors from the original reprising their roles. There are plenty of laughs and callbacks to the original that true fans of the classic should easily be able to point out.
The sequel did get a little emotional with the Old Man's passing being discussed (which is a crucial plot point and I had a feeling they were going to have the character pass due to the original actor's passing years ago). They even had him appear in flashbacks from the original film's footage as a nice little memorial for him. When the studio first announced they were working on a direct sequel, I was kind of hesitant. But, honestly, they did an awesome job!!
If you enjoyed the 1983 classic, then make sure to give 'A Christmas Story Christmas' chance!! The movie is exclusively streaming on the HBO Max streaming platform.
Here are a few fun tidbits for 'A Christmas Story Christmas':
Melinda Dillon was unavailable to reprise her role as Ralphie's mother since she retired from acting in 2007.
Peter Billingsley produced this movie with Vince Vaughn via their Wild West Picture Show Productions.
This marks the third direct sequel to 'A Christmas Story.' 'My Summer Story' was the first sequel released in 1994 (flopped in theaters). A DVD sequel 'A Christmas Story 2' was the second sequel released in 2012. Both sequels were ignored in this movie.
Billingsley deliberately adjusted his voice to sound closer to Jean Shepherd, who did the narration as adult Ralphie in the 1983 holiday classic.
In January 2022, Warner Bros. and Legendary Pictures announced that a legacy sequel to the classic was in development. The film is dedicated to the memory of Darren McGavin (Old Man), who died on February 25, 2006, at the age of 83.
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