New York’s air is getting crisper by the day, which can only mean one thing: It’s almost time to revisit our favorite holiday movies. According to Deadline, The Family Stone is getting a sequel.
Nearly 21 years after the original arrived in December 2005, the beloved Christmas movie is getting another chapter. The follow-up, titled The Families Stone, is in development at Searchlight Pictures, with several original cast members set to return. Sarah Jessica Parker, Rachel McAdams, and Claire Danes are among them.
Here’s everything we know so far.
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Remind me, what is The Family Stone about?
The Family Stone follows Meredith Morton (Sarah Jessica Parker), a buttoned-up Manhattan executive who travels to Connecticut with her boyfriend, Everett Stone (Dermot Mulroney), for Christmas with his boisterous, close-knit family.
Everett’s parents, Sybil and Kelly Stone, were played by the late, great Diane Keaton and Craig T. Nelson, respectively; his sister, Amy, is portrayed by Rachel McAdams, and his brother, Ben, is Luke Wilson. Susannah (Elizabeth Reaser) and Thad (Tyrone Giordano) round out the family.
Meredith quickly finds herself at odds with the Stones, and she calls in her younger sister Julie (Claire Danes) for backup. Naturally, things get even more complicated.
Things take a turn when Julie and Everett develop feelings for each other, while Meredith finds an unexpected connection with Ben. By the end of the film, the family has experienced both new beginnings and heartbreak, setting the stage for a very different holiday season the next time we see the Stones.
Who is returning for The Family Stone sequel?
Several members of the original cast are expected to return, according to Deadline. Claire Danes, Rachel McAdams, Dermot Mulroney, Craig T. Nelson, Sarah Jessica Parker, Luke Wilson, Tyrone Giordano, and Elizabeth Reaser are all set to reprise their roles from the original film. Paul Schneider and Brian White are also joining the returning cast.
On September 23, The Hollywood Reporter revealed that Jean Smart will be joining the cast of the sequel.
There is, of course, one notable absence: beloved actress and fashion icon Diane Keaton, who died in October 2025 at age 79. Her loss will be felt in the sequel, which takes place 20 years after Sybil’s death.
What will The Families Stone be about?
The new film will reunite the family for Christmas 20 years after Sybil’s death. This time, Kelly (Nelson) has a surprise in store for everyone: He’s fallen in love with someone new and has invited the woman to meet them all for the holidays.
If you’ve seen the original, you can probably imagine how that might go. The Stones have already navigated their fair share of romantic complications, but this time, they’ll have to reckon with a new woman entering the family—and face the reality of the absence of the person who once held them all together.
When will The Families Stone be released?
There is currently no official release date for the sequel. Production is officially set to take place this fall in New York.
Has the movie started filming?
Yes! On October 20, Parker, McAdams, and Mulroney were spotted filming the movie in New York. Parker wore a long gray coat with a white top and blue jeans, while McAdams wore a sweater vest, flannel top, and khaki skirt. Mulroney wore a black zip-up sweater under a white collared button-down shirt.
This story will be updated.