A Christmas Story Christmas
A Christmas Story Christmas is a 2022 American Christmas comedy film directed by Clay Kaytis with a script he co-wrote with Nick Schenk, from an original story co-written by Schenk and Peter Billingsley. It is a legacy sequel to A Christmas Story (1983) and is the eighth installment in the Parker Family Saga franchise, while ignoring the events of My Summer Story (1994) and A Christmas Story 2 (2012). The film was produced by Billingsley and Vince Vaughn along with Cale Boyter, Jay Ashenfelter, Marc Toberoff and Irwin Zwilling. Billingsley reprises his role as Ralphie Parker alongside Ian Petrella, Scott Schwartz, R. D. Robb, Zack Ward, and Yano Anaya returning as Grover Dill, Flick, Schwartz, and Scut Farkus, respectively. Erinn Hayes, River Drosche, and Julianna Layne play Ralphie's wife and kids, with Julie Hagerty (replacing Melinda Dillon from the original film) as Mrs. Parker. In the film, after the Old Man dies, Ralphie takes his family to his childhood home, reuniting with his mother and old friends, while being tasked to deliver a memorable Christmas. A Christmas Story Christmas was released in the United States on November 17, 2022, on HBO Max. Plot
In December 1973, 33 years after the events of A Christmas Story, 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 Shephard's opening narration from the first film. Cast
 Peter Billingsley as Ralph "Ralphie" Parker
 Erinn Hayes as Sandy Parker, Ralph's wife
 Julie Hagerty as Mrs. Parker, Ralph's mother. Mrs. Parker was previously portrayed by Melinda Dillon in A Christmas Story. Ian Petrella as Randy Parker, Ralph's brother
 Scott Schwartz as Flick, one of Ralph's childhood friends
 R. D. Robb as Schwartz, one of Ralph's childhood friends
 Zack Ward as Officer Scut Farkus, Ralph's former childhood bully
 River Drosche as Mark Parker, Ralph's son
 Billy Brayshaw as Older Mark Parker (in Ralph's imagination)
 Julianna Layne as Julie Parker, Ralph's daughter
 Tegan Grace Muggeridge as Older Julie Parker (in Ralph's imagination)
 Cailean Galloway as Snowmobile Bully
 Alistair Galloway as Snowmobile Bully
 Yano Anaya as Grover Dill, Ralph's childhood bully (in Ralph's imagination)
 David Gillespie as Santa Claus

Production
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 is executive producer. Clay Kaytis was hired to direct. The film is dedicated to the memory of Darren McGavin (who played Ralphie's Old Man in the original film), who died in 2006 at the age of 83. Shortly after the official announcement of the film, Peter Billingsley was cast to reprise his role as Ralphie Parker as an adult, in addition to being a producer alongside Vince Vaughn. Julie Hagerty was cast as Mrs. Parker, since Melinda Dillon (who had played the role in A Christmas Story) was in poor health at the time of the film's production and ultimately died less than two months after the film was released. The following month, 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. Erinn Hayes, River Drosche, and Julianna Layne were cast as Ralphie's wife, Sandy Parker, and his kids, Mark and Julie Parker, respectively. Principal photography began in late February 2022 in Hungary and Bulgaria. Billingsley and the crew commissioned exact replicas of the house which was depicted in the original film and of the neighborhood. Release
The first teaser trailer was released in October 2022, confirming the official release date, with the full trailer following on November 1. The film was released in the United States on November 17, streaming on HBO Max by Warner Bros. Pictures. Home media
The film was released on DVD by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment on October 31, 2023. Reception

See also
 List of Christmas films

References

External links
 

2022 films
2022 comedy films
2020s American films
2020s children's comedy films
2020s Christmas comedy films
2020s English-language films
Alternative sequel films
American children's comedy films
American Christmas comedy films
American sequel films
Films based on American novels
Films directed by Clay Kaytis
Films set in 1973
Films set in Chicago
Films set in Indiana
Films shot in Hungary
Films shot in Bulgaria
Films with screenplays by Nick Schenk
Midlife crisis films
HBO Max films
Legendary Pictures films
Warner Bros. films
English-language Christmas comedy films
Parker Family Saga
A Christmas Story