As the festive season approaches, fans of Christmas classics are revisiting beloved films like The Muppet Christmas Carol, Elf, and Love Actually. Among these staples 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, writer-director Thomas Bezucha has confirmed he is working on a sequel to honour Keaton, who passed away in October. The first film ended with the implication that Keaton's character Sybil had died after her breast cancer metastasised. Bezucha revealed he was already 'haunted by the loss of Sybil' while working on the project before Keaton's death.
Speaking to CNN, Bezucha said: '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.' He added that he now feels compelled to 'do a good job by the rest of the cast' and 'honour her even more' in the wake of her death.
Bezucha stated he would only proceed if the original cast were interested in returning. When he reached out previously, he received unanimously positive responses, though no one has officially signed on and the film has not been formally greenlit. The Family Stone is currently available to stream on Netflix and Disney+.
