A Sequel to ‘The Family Stone’ is in the Works

The writer/director adds that the main cast is interested in returning and that it’ll also function as a tribute to star Diane Keaton, who died recently.

The cast of 'The Family Stone.' Photo: 20th Century Fox.

Preview:

A sequel to ‘The Family Stone’ is at the script stage.
The 2005 festive comedy drama has become an annual favorite.
It starred Diane Keaton, and the sequel will honor her memory.

Christmas is coming faster than you can imagine, which means that people are getting ready to (or already have) watched their festive favorites.

One more unlikely perennial is the spiky, funny family comedy ‘The Family Stone,’ which arrived in 2005 featuring the likes of Diane Keaton, Sarah Jessica Parker, Rachel McAdams and Dermot Mulroney.

The Family Stone

"Feel The Love"

PG-13Drama Comedy Romance

Audience
Score

Release Date: Dec 15, 2005

Run Time: 1 hr 43 min

Budget: $19,000,000

Watch The Family Stone Online

While there has been chatter of late about a potential follow-up to the movie, it has taken an encouraging step forward, with writer/director Thomas Bezucha telling CNN that he’s writing a sequel.

What’s the story of ‘The Family Stone’?

(L to R): Sarah Jessica Parker, Dermot Mulroney, Elizabeth Reaser and Diane Keaton in 'The Family Stone.' Photo: 20th Century Fox.

In the first film, Sybil and Kelly (Keaton and Craig T. Nelson) host their adult kids (Mulroney, McAdams, Luke Wilson and Elizabeth Reaser) for the holidays, as she prepares to tell the family about her terminal illness.

The visit is complicated by Everett’s (Mulroney) plans to propose to his high-strung girlfriend Meredith (Parker), of whom Sybil does not approve.

What did Bezucha say about the sequel?

(L to R): Diane Keaton, Tyrone Giordano, Claire Danes, Craig T. Nelson and Dermot Mulroney in 'The Family Stone.' Photo: 20th Century Fox.

While Keaton’s character has passed away by the end of the movie (which shows the family a year later), Bezucha has said he fully intends it to honor Keaton, who herself died in October:

“I’ve been haunted by the loss of Sybil for months now 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.”

And he fully intends to have the original cast back, having reached out to them and received positive reactions (though no deals are done yet). He has said he also wants to do right by the surviving actors:

“I’m not interested in the Brady family reunion without the original Jan.”

When will the ‘Family Stone’ sequel be on screen?

With none of the acting deals signed and no official greenlight, we’ll have to wait and see when 20th Century Studios decides to make this one a reality.