Peter Billingsley Returns As Ralphie In ‘A Christmas Story’ Sequel Teaser

Author Phil Harris

October 18th, 2022 7:21 AM

Peter Billingsley in 2017. (Photo by Phillip Faraone/Getty Images for DIRECTV)

The first teaser trailer for the next A Christmas Story movie has just dropped. The sequel, A Christmas Story Christmas, will premiere on HBO Max on Thursday, November 17th.

In the teaser, we get a brief close-up glimpse of Peter Billingsley playing Ralphie Parker as an adult. You can tell it’s him because he appears to be wearing the same glasses. The teaser also gives us a few shots and audio clips to remind us of some of the most memorable moments from the original 1983 film.

According to Deadline, A Christmas Story actually already had two sequels, 1994’s It Runs in the Family and 2012’s A Christmas Story 2. Both went straight to video. This new sequel picks up the story with grown-up Ralphie returning to the house on Cleveland Street in the 1970s. He wants to give his kids a magical Christmas like the one he had growing up.

Along the way, Ralphie even reconnects with his friends from the old neighborhood. The cast includes Scott Schwartz (Flick), R.D. Robb (Schwartz), Zack Ward (Scut Farkus), and Ian Petrella (Ralphie’s brother, Randy) from the original movie. In a bit of irony, Scut Farkus, Ralphie’s childhood bully, grows up to become an officer of the law. Perhaps he really did learn his lesson after Ralphie beat him up.

As a fan of the original, I really hope this sequel doesn’t end up being a mouthful of soap. I also hope the “pink nightmare” bunny suit makes an appearance. How great would it be to see adult-size Ralphie squeezed into that thing? Here’s the teaser:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjHV8q8LyaE

Phil Harris is 50% of "Phil & Mel in the Afternoon" on K104.7. He has been with the station since 2013 and on the air in Charlotte since 2000. Before coming to the Queen City, Phil worked for radio stations in Pittsburgh, Austin, and Seattle. In addition to the weekly "Throwback Threesome" music video feature, Phil writes about things that matter to Charlotte sports fans and pet owners. He happens to be both.

15 Unconventional Christmas Albums From The Past 50 Years

Remember The Singing Dogs? It was a band made up of dogs, and all the songs were spliced-together dog barks. The group’s Christmas song, “Jingle Bells,” hit the top of Billboard’s Christmas Singles chart in 1972. But don’t be fooled—The Singing Dogs’ Christmas album is far from the quirkiest piece of holiday music out there.

Stacker dug into the recesses of Christmas or holiday-themed albums to find 15 unconventional holiday albums that stand out as cultural and musical anomalies in their addition to the much-beloved sub-genre of music. These original albums represent some of the most unique holiday songs out there. To curate this list, Stacker didn’t look at singles; just LPs and EPs were considered.

Many famous musicians have released some pretty unique versions of holiday songs. Sufjan Stevens took it to another level and released 100 songs in two installments six years apart. Afroman has a quirky Christmas album with lyrics tailored to his image and some of his favorite pastimes. Even Arcade Fire put together a secret DIY Christmas album.

Christmas Interpretations' (1993) by Boyz II Men
This Christmas album was another wildly popular installment in the Boyz II Men discography. The band put their standard spin of soothing vocals and flawless harmonies on a full slate of new material, with only one cover, “Silent Night,” all a cappella. The rest of the songs on the album aren’t all as full of joy as traditional Christmas tunes, covering topics like depression, poverty, and love.

Motown
'Natty Christmas' (1978) by Jacob Miller
Transport to Jamaica with this reggae Christmas album. The record became a Christmas classic, with lyrics like “We bring you an Irie Christmas” and lots of references to marijuana. Plus, most of the songs are set to traditional Christmas tunes, so everyone can easily sing along.

Top Ranking International
'A Very Arcade Xmas' (2002) by Arcade Fire
This album can’t be bought in stores—Arcade Fire members apparently made the album for friends, hand-delivered it as holiday gifts, and then someone leaked it online. The album was recorded in 2001 live at a party.

Arcade Fire
'Songs for Christmas, Vols.'1-5' (2006) and 'Silver & Gold: Songs for Christmas, Vols. 6-10' (2012)
Sufjan Stevens’s epic two-part album is split into 10 volumes of 100 songs. Half of the songs were released in 2006 and the other half in 2012. The albums reflect Stevens’ changing style throughout his career, with some songs appearing multiple times, differentiated by style and arrangement.

Asthmatic Kitty Records
'Christmas' (1999) by Low
Low built its reputation on the sad, melancholy sounds and lyrics that are the hallmark of slowcore music, and this Christmas album is no exception. The eight original and cover songs are minimalist, spare, achingly slow, or just a little creepy and odd.

Tugboat Records
'My Morning Jacket Does Xmas Fiasco Style' (2000) by My Morning Jacket
This six-song EP is a mix of originals and covers with some experimental vocals and riffs. Listen for the heavy electric guitar and beautiful harmonies the band is known for while still being left with a relaxed holiday soundtrack.

Darla Records
'A Glimpse of Stocking' (2010) by Saint Etienne
This limited release album wasn’t too surprising for those already fans of Saint Etienne. It was a fun collection of past fan releases and covers of other Christmas songs, in the standard style anyone came to expect from the band. But only 3,000 copies were made, and for an extra expense, buyers could get a signed Christmas card and a personalized song.

Foreign Office
'A Heavy Metal Christmas' (2012) by Christopher Lee
Actor Christopher Lee (as seen in “Lord of the Rings” and “Dracula”) was 90 when he released this two-song heavy metal EP. The classically trained singer loved heavy metal, and the EP, which includes “Little Drummer Boy” and “Silent Night,” reflected his talent for the genre.

Charlemagne Productions Ltd.
'Christmas in the Stars: Star Wars Christmas Album' (1980) by various artists
The Star Wars universe and the real world merged in this Christmas album, which made many people hate it. Star Wars characters came through with holiday gems like “What Can You Get a Wookiee for Christmas (When He Already Owns a Comb?)” and “R2-D2 We Wish You a Merry Christmas.” The cheese factor is enough to put the average person over the edge; but fetching a copy of this album (CD or vinyl) will set you back a few bucks as the album now serves as a collector’s item.

RSO
'A Very Spidey Christmas' (2018) by 'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' cast
What started as a joke in “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” became a reality a week after the movie premiered. This EP, previewed in the film, is only five songs and about 11 minutes total. It features the cast singing holiday songs as their characters.

Sony Classical
'Eban Schletter’s Cosmic Christmas' (2009) by Eban Schletter
Those who’ve never heard a theremin can get their fill with this album, which is an electronic sensation and so popular it has a Facebook fan page. The album description says it all: “A military satellite finds itself in the midst of a musical ‘transmission’ which forces it to rethink its primary directive.” What follows are electronic, synth, and theremin versions of holiday classics.

Oglio Records
'A Colt 45 Christmas' (2006) by Afroman
Afroman’s albums generally contain parental advisories, and this one’s no different. The rapper decided to put his spin on Christmas classics, turning out songs like “Afroman is Coming to Town” and “O Chronic Tree.” Each song showcases Afroman’s trademark musical humor.

Hungry Hustler Records
'Christmas Is 4 Ever' (2006) by Bootsy Collins
Funk artist Bootsy Collins released this album on Halloween of 2006. None of the songs sound like the original (imagine a funky bass line on “Silent Night”), and some of them have unique collaborations. Snoop Dogg and George Clinton lend voices on “Happy Holidaze” while “Sleigh Ride” features Charlie Daniels.

Shout! Factory
'The Most Wonderful Time of the Year' (2011) by Scott Weiland
Stone Temple Pilots frontman Scott Weiland departed his rock lifestyle with this kitschy Christmas album of covers with a twist. “O Holy Night” is reggae-style, “Silent Night” has some Spanish flair, and the singer croons Sinatra-style for a few of the more classic holiday tunes.

ATCO Records
'Merry Christmas Baby' (1971) by Rudy Ray Moore
Rudy Ray Moore was a crass comedy legend—and he brought it all for this album. The A-side is relatively benign, with the smooth namesake song “Merry Christmas Baby.” However, those who turn the record over will be hit with a wildly X-rated B-side, with lyrics that match the album sleeve art.

Comedians, Inc.