As we head into the festive period, film fans across the land will be returning to their Christmas movie favourites – from The Muppet Christmas Carol to Elf, Love Actually and everything in between.
Ad
One film which is often a staple on many a watch-list is The Family Stone, the 2005 comedy drama starring the late Diane Keaton alongside an ensemble cast including Craig T Nelson, Dermot Mulroney, Sarah Jessica Parker, Luke Wilson, Claire Danes, Rachel McAdams and Tyrone Giordano.
Now, it seems another film could get added to those lists, as writer-director Thomas Bezucha has confirmed he is working on a sequel, in order to honour Keaton following her passing in October.
The first film ended with the implication that Keaton's character Sybil had died after her breast cancer metastasised, and Bezucha revealed that he was already "haunted by the loss of Sybil" while working on the project before Keaton's death.
Dermot Mulroney and Sarah Jessica Parker in The Family Stone. 20th Century Fox
He told CNN: "I’ve been haunted by the loss of Sybil for months while I worked on it, and so this was a blow on a tender bruise already. Mentally, I’ve been spending time in that house where I’ve been missing her for a while already."
Bezucha said he now feels compelled to "do a good job by the rest of the cast," and has a desire to "honour her even more" in the wake of Keaton's death.
Bezucha added that he would only be interested in moving forward with the project if the original cast were interested in returning, and said that when he reached out previously about it, he received received unanimously positive responses – even though no one has officially signed on and the film hasn't been formally greenlit yet.
The Family Stone the titular family as the eldest son, Everett, brought his girlfriend Meredith home for Christmas, intending to propose to her.
However, when she received a hostile reception from the family, she begged her sister Julie to join her.
James Hibbs is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering programmes across both streaming platforms and linear channels. He previously worked in PR, first for a B2B agency and subsequently for international TV production company Fremantle. He possesses a BA in English and Theatre Studies and an NCTJ Level 5 Diploma in Journalism.
