Hard to believe it was last July that we received the most recent update on a sequel to 2003's Bad Santa, still in my mind the only holiday film worth a hill of beans other than A Christmas Story. The very hard R-rated film starred Billy Bob Thornton as the world's worst shopping mall Santa, considering he's frequently drunk, hates children, and generally has a foul attitude about everything. Thornton was confirmed to return last March, and a few months later we learned of two competing scripts being written with only one going into production. The other might get considered for a potential third film, if they get that far.
But it's been quiet ever since, and Thornton has been busy with his next directorial effort, Jayne Mansfield's Car, which recently premiered at the Berlin Film Festival(why don't I get invited to cool fests like that??). While there, Thornton had a chance to talk to ThePlaylist about the future of Bad Santa, revealing the script is still being worked on, although he doesn't reveal whether it was Johnny Rosenthal's or John Phillips' draft that was chosen He does say that plans are to shoot in the fall, with hopes of the film brightening up our holidays on Christmas 2013.
We haven't heard much about any potential directors, either, which has me thinking Thornton may want to take the job on himself. Between now and then he'll shoot the road trip drama, And Then We Drove, which some say is based in part on his former relationship with Angelina Jolie. Either way, any movement on Bad Santa 2 is a positive, and if it does turn up next year it'll be one heck of a Christmas gift.
