‘Christmas Story Christmas’ pays homage to original
Christmas #Christmas
Ralphie (Peter Billingsley) is all grown up in “A Christmas Story Christmas.” Screenshot courtesy of HBO Max
Nov. 1 (UPI) — HBO Max released the full trailer for A Christmas Story Christmas on Tuesday. The film premieres Nov. 17.
Peter Billingsley returns as Ralphie, a role he played as a child in 1983’s A Christmas Story. HBO Max had released a teaser announcing the film on Oct. 17.
In the new film, Ralphie brings his children to visit his mother (Julie Hagerty in the role originally played by Melinda Dillon) and pay respects to his father (Darren McGavin in the original). Ralphie reunites with his childhood friends and tries to give his children the sort of Christmas he had growing up.
Ralphie’s friends Flick (Scott Schwartz) and Schwartz (R.D. Robb) return, as does bully Farkus (Zack Ward). The film references many of the classic moments from the original.
Ralphie warns his kids not to let a mall Santa kick them in the face, as happened to him. The gang also triple dog dares Schwartz to perform a dangerous stunt, this time riding a sled off a ramp.
New antics include Ralphie teaching his kids to sled and a snowmobile crashing into a snowman.
The original film has become a perennial with 24-hour Christmas Day marathon airings. The owner of the house where the original was filmed has rented it out by the night.