| A Christmas Story Christmas | |
| Director: | Clay Kaytis |
| Producer: |
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| Starring: |
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| Cinematography: | Matthew Clark |
| Editing: | David Walsh Heinz |
| Music: | Jeff Morrow |
| Distributor: | |
| Runtime: | 98 minutes |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
A Christmas Story Christmas is a 2022 American Christmas comedy film directed by Clay Kaytis from a script by Nick Schenk, who is also one of the executive producers. Produced by Peter Billingsley and Vince Vaughn along with Legendary's Cale Boyter and Jay Ashenfelter, Marc Toberoff and Irwin Zwilling, it is a sequel to the 1983 film A Christmas Story. Billingsley reprises his role as Ralphie Parker alongside Ian Petrella, Scott Schwartz, R. D. Robb, Zack Ward, and Yano Anaya returning as Randy Parker, Flick, Schwartz, Scut Farkus, and Grover Dill, respectively. Additionally Erinn Hayes, River Drosche, and Julianna Layne play Ralphie's wife and kids, with Julie Hagerty acting in the role of Mrs. Parker. Principal photography began in late February 2022 in Hungary and Bulgaria.
A Christmas Story Christmas was released in the United States on November 17, 2022, on HBO Max.[1] The film has received a generally positive response from critics.
In December 1973, 33 years after the events of A Christmas Story, 42-year-old Ralph "Ralphie" Parker lives in Chicago with his wife, Sandy, and two children, Mark and Julie. Ralph has been taking the year off from his job to write his first novel, but its excessive length leads multiple publishers to reject it. Mrs. Parker calls to tell Ralph that his father, "the Old Man", has died, and the grief-stricken family makes its way to Hohman, Indiana to be with her. She gives Ralph two tasks: write his father's obituary, and take up his mantle of making Christmas special for the family.
Ralph's children befriend one of the Bumpus kids next door, and have their snowman smashed by two bullies on a snowmobile. Ralph reunites with Flick, who now owns his father's old tavern, and Schwartz, who still lives with his mother and has run up a large tab at Flick's. While leaving the house to go ice skating, Sandy slips and sprains her ankle.
As Christmas Eve approaches, the family goes to Higbee's, where Ralph miraculously buys everything Mark and Julie asked for while the children speak to the store's Santa. On the way back, Ralph's car overheats, and Ralph accidentally hits Julie in the eye during an impromptu snowball fight. After Julie receives a temporary eyepatch at the hospital, the family discovers their car was robbed in the hospital parking lot; the presents are gone, and there is little money left to replace them.
Back at Flick's, Flick offers to forgive Schwartz's tab if he sleds off a giant ramp; Schwartz manages to complete the stunt, but Mark breaks his arm sledding down the nearby hill afterwards. After Ralph is rejected by his final prospective publisher, he laments his difficulties, but is encouraged by his mother and Sandy. Remembering his favorite Christmas with his father inspires Ralph to write a long article instead of a standard obituary; however, he leaves it on the desk, needing to prepare for Christmas Day. Mark and Julie manage to get back at their bullies by building a snowman over a tree stump so that the snowmobile crashes.
On Christmas Eve night, the star falls off the Parker's tree and breaks, upsetting Julie. Frustrated, Ralph ignores objections from his wife and his mother and goes out to find a new star. All the local businesses are already closed, so Ralph breaks into Flick's tavern to "borrow" the star from the tree. On his way out, he is apprehended by Scut Farkus, now a Hohman police officer. Ralph is terrified of what Scut might do to him, but Scut brings him home, saying he owes Ralph because their childhood fight set him on a better path in life.
Mrs. Parker goes into the basement to change a fuse and finds several thoughtfully-picked, pre-wrapped gifts, which the Old Man had bought shortly before his death. On Christmas morning, the family is delighted to open them, and all their other presents as well. Ralph is confused by compliments he receives about his piece in the newspaper, and Sandy reveals she found the obituary manuscript and took it to the local paper because of its high quality. The phone rings, and Ralph is offered a new job as a syndicated columnist, fulfilling his dream of becoming a full-time writer. Much of the town comes to the Parker house for Christmas dinner; after dinner concludes, the core family asks Ralph to read them his story about the Old Man. Ralph takes a seat in his father's armchair and begins reading, and his narration slowly transitions into Jean Shepherd's opening narration from the first film.
In January 2022, Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures announced that a legacy sequel to A Christmas Story was in development with a script from Nick Schenk who also serves as executive producer.[2] Clay Kaytis was hired to direct.[3] The film is dedicated to Darren McGavin (who played "The Old Man" in the original film), who died on February 25, 2006.[4] The staff acquired option rights to much of original author Jean Shepherd's bibliography for use in the film, working several quotes from Shepherd's books into the finished script. Peter Billingsley had conceived the film as both a sequel to and an origin story for the original film.[5]
Shortly after its official announcement of the film, Billingsley was cast to reprise his role as Ralphie Parker as an adult, in addition as a producer alongside Vince Vaughn.[3] Julie Hagerty had been cast as Mrs. Parker, replacing Melinda Dillon, who had played the role and died shortly after the film's release, gave Billingsley her support for the project.[6] [7] In February, Ian Petrella, Scott Schwartz, R. D. Robb, Zack Ward, and Yano Anaya were cast to reprise their roles as Randy Parker, Flick, Schwartz, Scut Farkus, and Grover Dill, respectively.[8] Billingsley noted that all of them had remained friends since making the original film and were all eager to reprise their roles.[6] In the same month, Erinn Hayes, River Drosche, and Julianna Layne were cast as Ralphie's wife, Sandy Parker and his kids, Mark and Julie Parker, respectively.[9] Tedde Moore was asked to reprise her role as Miss Shields from the original film, but declined.
Principal photography began in late February 2022 in Hungary and Bulgaria.[10] Billingsley and the crew commissioned exact replicas of the house which was depicted in the original film and the neighborhood enhancing the authenticity of the film.[11] The first teaser trailer was released in October of the same year, confirming that the film was in post-production.[12]
The first teaser trailer was released in October 2022, confirming the official release date, with the full trailer following on November 1.[13] A Christmas Story Christmas was released in the United States via streaming on November 17, 2022, on HBO Max by Warner Bros. Pictures.[1] [14] [15]
On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 55 out of 100 based on reviews from 10 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[16]