Searchlight Pictures has brought up a major new name to its upcoming holiday comedy sequel. The production and distribution company has brought a recent Emmy winner into the cast alongside Rachel McAdams. The project will begin filming in New York this fall.
Jean Smart joins The Families Stone, the official sequel to the 2005 holiday movie The Family Stone, per Deadline. The actress recently won her fifth Primetime Emmy for playing Deborah Vance in Max’s Hacks.
Searchlight has not revealed Smart’s role in the sequel, so details about how her character connects to the Stone family remain unknown. Thomas Bezucha, who wrote and directed The Family Stone, is returning for the sequel. He will once again write and direct, giving the follow-up a direct connection to the original film.
The 2005 movie followed the Stone family as they came together for Christmas. The family’s oldest son brought his girlfriend home to meet his relatives, but the visit quickly became uncomfortable as tensions grew between the couple and the rest of the family. The movie mixed family drama, romance, and comedy during the holiday season.
Who else stars in The Family Stone 2 besides Rachel McAdams and Jean Smart?
Rachel McAdams is returning as Amy Stone, the youngest sister in the Stone family. Sarah Jessica Parker also returns as Meredith Morton, the character whose relationship with the Stone family was at the center of the first movie.
Claire Danes is also set to return as Julie, Meredith’s sister. The sequel will bring these characters back together while introducing new elements to the family’s story.
The original The Family Stone featured Diane Keaton, Craig T. Nelson, Dermot Mulroney, Luke Wilson, and Elizabeth Reaser. Searchlight has not confirmed whether all of the original cast members will return for the sequel.