A sequel to ‘A Christmas Story’? Just, no

There are some things that should just never happen. Like dating your cousin. Or, say, making a sequel to a movie as classic as “A Christmas Story.”

The 1983 film didn’t do well in theaters but over the years became an enormously huge hit at the holidays and many people’s most beloved Christmas film. It does have a beautiful, nostalgic texture and the narration by Jean Shepherd who wrote the script makes it as heartwarming as it is funny.

So why ruin it?

It’s been announced that “A Christmas Story Christmas” is coming out on HBO Max Nov. 17. Peter Billingsley reprises his role as Ralphie and in this sequel is all grown up and returning to his old town with his own kids to try to recapture the magic of Christmas.

Who asked for this? Is anyone huffing enough fumes out there to think this is going to come close to being worthy of the original? Leave. it. alone.

Other original actors are returning in their old roles. A grown-up Flick who famously had his tongue stuck to a freezing pole will be played again by Scott Schwartz. Ian Petrella comes back to again play Ralphie’s little brother.

Would they try to make a sequel to “It’s A Wonderful Life” or would they reverently realize some things are so special the art suffers to add more?

And get this. It’s not even the first time they tried a sequel. “A Christmas Story 2” came out in 2012. It was so awful it went straight to video. The synopsis on IMDB.com…

“Five years later, Ralphie has his eyes fixed on a car. But trouble is sure to follow.”

It got the lower user rating I’ve personally seen in the movie site, a measly 3.4 out of 10.

Put it this way. The widely panned “Ishtar” even got a 4.6” pound of cheese and the awful “Cabin Boy” with Chris Elliot got a 5.2.

Here’s the trailer to that disaster.

If you think “A Christmas Story Christmas” will be any better I have a Driscoll Bridge I’d like to sell you cheap.

Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.

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