On Tuesday, November 1st, HBO Max released a new trailer for A Christmas Story Christmas, a sequel to the 1983 Christmas classic A Christmas Story that is set to hit the streaming platform on November 17th. With just under four decades between the release of the two films, how do the aspects of the original translate to 2022?
Well, if the trailer is any indication, director Clay Kaytis (The Angry Birds Movie) is playing it pretty darn faithful to the original, stopping just short of adding ‘80s B-movie film grain – which is probably for the best. Following Ralphie, now a dad himself, after the death of his father, the film sees the return of several original cast members: Peter Billingsley as Ralphie Parker, Scott Schwartz as Flick, RD Robb as Schwartz, Ian Petrella as Ralphie’s brother, Randy, Davis Murphy as Delbert Bumpus, and Zack Ward as Scott Farkus.
The imagery and quippy dialogue also make direct references to the most memorable moments from A Christmas Story. From the voice-over to the dreaded mall Santa to the triple-dog-dares, the trailer seems to promise that while these characters have grown up, they haven’t exactly grown up. More subtle nods make their way into the shots as well, like Ralphie wearing the same Christmas pajamas from when he was a kid or his trademark smirk to the camera.
Of course, there are bound to be differences. A Christmas Story Christmas takes place 30 years after the events of A Christmas Story, trading in 1940s nostalgia for 1970s nostalgia. The absence of Ralphie’s father, while the crux of the plot, is also bound to mark a stark difference between the two movies. At least from the previews, Ralphie takes a much more relaxed approach to fatherhood than his old man did… Thank god.
Regardless, there are sure to be enough easter eggs in the movie to give Marvel a run for their money. Check out the similarities and differences for yourself in our side-by-side comparison above.