‘A Christmas Story’ Sequel In The Works At Legendary And Warner Bros With Peter Billingsley Set To Reprise Ralphie Role

Christmas has come and gone, but Legendary and Warner Bros are looking to give us all a belated gift. Sources tell Deadline the two companies have closed a deal for Peter Billingsley to reprise his Ralphie in A Christmas Story Christmas, a sequel to the 1983 holiday classic A Christmas Story, which will premiere on HBO Max.

While not confirmed, sources add that Airplane! star Julie Hagerty will play Billingsley’s mother.

The script was written by Nick Schenk, who also will executive produce, and Clay Kaytis will direct. Billingsley also will produce along with his partner Vince Vaughn through their Wild West Picture Show banner. Cale Boyter and Jay Ashenfelter will oversee for Legendary. Production is set to start at the end of February in Bulgaria.

The film follows an adult Ralphie (Billingsley) in the 1970s, who returns to the house on Cleveland Street to deliver his kids a magical Christmas like the one he had growing up. With the same attention to real-life tone of the first, Ralphie reconnects with childhood friends, reconciles the passing of his Old Man and sows the seeds for the origins of the beloved holiday classic.

Since his breakout role as Ralphie in A Christmas Story, Billingsley has gone on to have success as a director with hits that include the comedy Couples Retreat starring Vaughn. He also produced the Broadway musical A Christmas Story The Musical, which received three Tony nominations including Best Musical. He is represented by Mitch Smelkinson. As producers, Billingsley and Vaughn have produced multiple films through Wild West Picture Show including The Break-Up, Four Christmases and Couples Retreat, along with the series F Is for Family.

Schenk has become Clint Eastwood’s go-to screenwriter, penning the two-time Oscar winner’s recent pics Cry Macho, The Mule and Torino, for which he won a National Board of Review award for Original Screenplay. He is represented by Management 360 and Lichter, Grossman, Nichols.

Kaytis’ directing credits include Christmas Chronicles starring Kurt Russell for Netflix and The Angry Birds Movie, which he co-directed with Fergal Reilly and grossed more than $350 million worldwide. He is represented by UTA, Artists First and Mark P. Binder at Weston, Garrou & Dewitt.