James Stewart in It’s A Wonderful Life
Normally Hollywood likes to make sequels as soon as possible, although sometimes there’s a few year to wait. However after the success of Disney’s sort-of prequel to 1939’s The Wizard Of Oz, it appears people have been looking at what other old films they can make new instalments of.
Now Variety reports that 66 years after It’s A Wonderful Life was made, a sequel is in the works. I think it’s fair to say a lot of people will already be thinking this is sacrilege.
Star Partners and Hummingbird Productions are the companies behind the plan, which will follow the grandson of James Stewart’s George Bailey (who shares the same name). Karolyn Grimes, who played Bailey’s daughter Zuzu in the original film (she was the little girl who said, “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings!”) will return for as an angel ‘who shows Bailey’s unlikeable grandson (also named George Bailey) how much better off the world would have been had he never been born’. So it’s slightly the other way round to the original, where Stewart was shown how important his life has been.
“The new film will retain the feeling of the original, and it simply must be shared,” Grimes says. “I’ve probably read close to 20 scripts over the years suggesting a sequel to It’s a Wonderful Life, but none of them were any good. The script by Bob Farnsworth and Martha Bolton was wonderful, and I wanted to be involved with his version of the film immediately.”
The producers have also approached other original cast members such as Jimmy Hawkins, who portrayed Tommy Bailey, and Carol Coombs, who played Janie Bailey, about whether they’re willing to return. It’s not known how likely they are to come back.
The plan is to have the movie ready for a Christmas 2015 release.
Kinda sounds like the angels are going to encourage him to commit suicide!